A community celebration has been held (11/10) for postmaster Bill Chandi who has loyally served the Marston Moreteyne community for 37 years and had a special role with Captain Sir Tom Moore’s epic fundraising and 100th birthday events.
Bill has also been a Parish councillor for this Bedfordshire village for 34 years. Many villagers contacted the Parish council to ask for an official event to thank Bill, who stepped down earlier this year from his postmaster role.
There was a big gathering at Marston Moreteyne Community Centre to thank Bill Chandi and his wife Rani, which was attended by Blake Stephenson MP, councillors and customers.
Before Covid most people had not heard of Marston Moreteyne. However, in 2020 Captain Tom Moore, who lived in the village, became the renowned fundraiser who captured people’s hearts by doing sponsored laps of his garden with his walking frame. This raised in more than £32million for the NHS charity and being honoured with a knighthood.
Captain Sir Tom had been nearly 100-years-old when he started his fundraising, which attracted lots of positive, media attention. To mark his special 100th birthday postmaster Bill Chandi kindly provided a way for people to send cards, presents and charity donation cheques to Marston Moreteyne Post Office for the centenarian, generating more publicity.
Long-serving postmaster, Bill, was busy delivering the presents to the world famous 100-year-old. He gave many media interviews about Captain Sir Tom’s fundraising and added to the buzz of excitement in the village and beyond and helped to lift the nation’s morale.
Postmaster, Bill Chandi, said: “This was the highlight of my life being involved in all the amazing publicity and joy surrounding Sir Captain Tom’s fundraising and special birthday celebrations and sadly later his funeral. It was a full-on time. What very few people knew was that I had been diagnosed with cancer. I was having chemotheraphy, but I was still running my Post Office for my customers, taking birthday presents to the home of Sir Captain Tom and doing lot of TV, radio and newspaper interviews.
“I was really glad that I could be a part of this amazing time for the village. It was very joyful and up-lifting. It was just what the country needed to raise spirits at the difficult time of the pandemic. I only told Sir Captain Tom’s family afterwards what I had personally been going through and most customers were not aware. Now my health is good I’m happier to talk about it.”
Blake Stephenson MP for Mid Bedfordshire said: “I want to thank Bill Chandi for everything that he has done for Marston Moreteyne for 37 years as postmaster and his ongoing role as a parish councillor. Bill is an incredible community champion, and I was so pleased to be able to join the celebrations today.
“To show my appreciation to Bill and Rani who have both served this community so well since 1988 I have invited them to the Houses of Parliament for a guided tour and a celebration meal in the House of Commons.”
Marston Moreteyne Post Office is now run by postmistress Niyamat Chandi, from Bedford, who is no relation to Bill. Last year, Bill became the operator for newly-opened Ampthill Banking Hub and he ran Martson Moreteyne Post Office as well until he found a suitable person to take on the branch to ensure it was in good hands.
Post Office Area Manager, Keith Mabberley, said: “It shows just how well-respected Bill Chandi is that the village wanted a special community celebration to thank him for his long and loyal service to Marston Moreteyne as well as a long-serving parish councillor.
“Bill truly was a great ambassador for Post Office during the pandemic. Not only did Bill keep his Post Office open during Covid, he really went above and beyond to get involved in this unique and inspiring Captain Sir Tom story, which was an incredibly positive time for the village. This was despite his own personal health battle and treatment that he was undergoing at the time, that he was still putting others and his beloved community first.”