At full lilt
For many customers whose jingle point of contact for the day is a quick chant with their local postman and woman, a bonus bit of freestyle warbling has been doing wonders to help them forget their trebles.
A number of colleagues have been stepping up to the mic to wow customers and their workmates with their piping prowess and mighty melodies.
When a customer in Solihull filmed postman Tony ‘Bucko’ Buckley, (pictured) from Shirley Delivery Office, singing Happy Birthday to her on her doorstep, she uploaded it to Facebook to universal praise from her friends.
‘Honestly, the best postman ever,’ and ‘Love this man, he’s amazing’ were just two of several comments praising Tony’s cracking crooning.
‘If I can bring a smile to someone’s face, especially on their birthday, then my job is done,’ said Tony.
Meanwhile, when Ipswich postman, Clint Tokley posted his safety-themed version of Ben E King’s soul classic, Stand by Me to Facebook, not only did he become an instant internet hit, but BBC Radio Suffolk got in touch to ask if they could broadcast it.
The song, about safe behaviour around parcel deliveries, has been viewed thousands of times since Clint recorded himself playing it as a way of getting the message across to customers about keeping the two-metre rule.
‘People are very quick to come to the door,’ he said. ‘Sometimes before you've even walked up the path. For some, the postman may be the only way of communicating. While we’re still here for them to talk to, I thought we needed to remind people about simple steps to stay safe.’
Look out for more from Clint in your April Courier.
And finally, when Galashiels postman Derek Brown, aka the ‘Singing Postie,’ uploaded his version of The Impossible Dream to YouTube, ,his fans were so impressed that they asked him to perform again as tune as possible.
Derek, who started at Royal Mail in 1993 at his local mail centre in Edinburgh, before moving to Dalkeith, and then Galashiels, said: ‘I do like singing and from an early age, I was encouraged to join the school choir. However, the school football team was a big distraction as at the time, playing football seemed like a much better option than singing in a choir!
‘I do most of my singing nowadays at occasional family parties or the odd social event although because I’m naturally a bit shy, I have to be coaxed to perform. But once I get started, I enjoy a good sing-song and especially like the Golden Oldies era.
‘I really like Matt Monroe, Andy Williams and Roy Orbison, but recently, I’ve started listening to a bit of opera. I’d love to be able to hit some of those high notes like the opera greats manage.
‘I’ve had lots of nice feedback since performing my song. It has helped put a smile on a few faces and I feel that's a good thing in terms of keeping our spirits up while we continue to be a part of the key work force keeping communities connected.
‘Times are tough and extraordinary for everyone just now as we try to defeat this deadly virus. But the mood in the camp at Galashiels is fairly good. I feel very lucky to work with such a great bunch of colleagues. In my short time in Galashiels, they have really made me feel welcome – it’s great to be a part of the team.
‘As key workers at Royal Mail, I feel that we’re lucky we have a role to perform at a time when most of our family and friends are having to work from home and come to terms with how their lives have changed. Customers in Galashiels have mainly adhered to the social distancing rules and complied with the lockdown. The streets are extremely quiet. I don’t see anyone when I’m out on delivery and that feels really strange.’
