Postmaster Hyacinth Thorpe-Baker of Ewarton P.O., gives this mesh screen in the customer service area a thorough scrub on Labour Day. - Photo by Gordon Brown

A number of projects were undertaken at post offices in observance of Labour Day this year. The extent to which many communities supported their post office was indeed encouraging.

Projects varied in scale, but they were predominantly clean-up or beautification campaigns.

Postmaster at Ewarton P.O., Hyacinth Thorpe-Baker, was interviewed while busily scrubbing the metal screen mesh at that location's Labour Day project.

Numerous volunteers

She stated: "This level of involvement is indeed encouraging and the fact is, there are (a number of) volunteers from the town assisting us. We really do feel special in getting this help to improve our customer service environment."

Thorpe-Baker indicated that corporate support was provided by staff from the Windalco bauxite plant as well as Worthy Park Estates, two corporate entities served by that post office. Worthy Park Estates provided and installed a sign, and Windalco assisted with a beautification drive.

Additionally, Acid Security's input was enjoyed by all Labour Day participants: they contributed the refreshments!

Postmaster General/CEO, Michael Gentles, stated: "Community groups are to be commended for their interest in caring for their local postal service facility and by extension, to those who serve the public as postal workers."

He expressed the view that Labour Day projects that support post offices indicate the extent to which communities identify the value of their postal service to them, and considers this "an outpouring of genuine appreciation for the postal workers' quality customer service".

Gentles encouraged postal staff islandwide to maintain this standard, and shared that many companies and individuals do offer specific types of assistance to their local post office throughout the year.