Pirates and Penelope

Superman in Maenclochog and a pirate in Landshipping – it’s just a uniform day for colleagues in Pembrokeshire.

A quartet of fun-loving staff from the Narberth Delivery Office have been stamping out in fancy dress delivering lockdown letters and parcels to customers in the county’s towns and villages.

Superheroes, pirates and a wizard are just a few of the characters who have been spotted setting out on their rounds so far. ‘Since lockdown, there are some people in rural areas where their postie is the only person they see all day,’ delivery office manager, Charmaine Thomas, told the Western Telegraph.

‘And as these strange circumstances have shown, the sight of the Royal Mail van is a real constant – despite whatever is going on, the post will always turn up. We’ve got 58 staff in the office, with 37 out on the road, and they have all been absolutely fantastic, adapting very quickly to the massive changes we have had to make because of lockdown and social distancing.

‘The fancy dress is just brilliant – it gives everyone a lift and brings a bit of a smile, and that’s what everyone needs.’

Postman Cefin Vaughan, who delivers to Mynachlogddu, set the fancy-dress trend with his Superman outfit, and has been seen variously in the guise of Captain America, a Gladiator, Merlin the Wizard, Spiderman and a leprechaun.

Postman, Andrew Jenkins, who drives out to the Temple Druid area by Maenchlochog, has been rocking a Stormtrooper costume and has also found time to bake delicious cakes for his hard-working colleagues.

Postwomen, Suzie Angel-Jones and Anna Jones, have been dressing up as pirates, to the delight of customers in Llanfallteg and Tavernspite and Cresselly and Landshipping areas respectively. Anna, who has also donned her Anna Banana and Penelope Pitstop outfits, said: ‘During these times, when people aren’t able to get out as much - especially the children - it’s just a bit of fun for them, and us, to put a smile on someone’s face, and to be a bit silly.

‘During serious times, it just lifts us all a little. Selfishly, I’m loving dressing up and wearing my best “pillar box” red lipstick, at a time when we can’t dress up for a night out!’

Charmaine added: ‘There have also been given quite a few gifts, which we’ve been very grateful for. Princes Gate water gave us hundreds of bottles of water, and people have left out cakes, plants and cards to say thank you, with children doing us drawings as well.

‘I think our postal staff are all heroes, and they deserve all the recognition they can get.’

Photo by Western Telegraph.