Menheniot Post Office and SPAR store really are at the heart of the village. Yes, a place to buy groceries and use Post Office services, but also an important meeting point for village life.
One of our longest-serving Postmasters is Gary Walters BEM (British Empire Medal) who has been the Postmaster for Menheniot in Cornwall since he was 18 years old.
Having run his village Post Office for 38 years, Gary continues to go from strength to strength. He now uses his Post Office expertise to help provide Post Office services to 15 other rural communities in South East Cornwall.
Gary has received a British Empire Medal in the 2022 New Year’s Honours in recognition of the vital services he provides to his community and many more besides.
At the age of 15, Gary left school and his career started when he joined the family business – the shop and Post Office in Menheniot. Later, he became the Postmaster as soon as he was old enough.
Menheniot Post Office and SPAR store really are at the heart of the village. It is a place to buy groceries and use Post Office services, plus an important meeting point. It is also a hub for buying tickets for various events and fund-raising initiatives in Menheniot.
Gary said: “At the start of the pandemic the whole of the country stopped, but we knew that so many communities were reliant on us, so we needed to continue. We quickly adapted. It was challenging, but we rose to the challenge.”
During the first lockdown his shop started food home deliveries and any Post office services he could offer (including collecting packages and letters for posting, paying utility bills and more) to those shielding, the elderly and those isolating to help provide essential services.
Gary is a fine example of the important role so many of our Postmasters play in rural communities across the UK.
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