Roger Honey marks 50 years as postmaster in Dawlish, Devon, serving his community and adapting to changing needs.
His mom, Eileen, was postmaster at first. She did that for 12 years. Before, she had a shop in Winkleigh. Then, the family moved to the coast. Roger was just 18 when they moved. Right away, he began managing the post office. Eileen focused on running the shop.
Roger said people were surprised at first. He was so young to run a post office. He officially became postmaster in 1975. But, he had been doing the job already. He has run it for 62 years. He enjoys serving people so much and loves talking to all his customers. Being part of the community makes him happy.
The area changed quite a lot. It grew with more people. Homes increased, and so did holiday spots. The summers are now much more busy. Banks disappeared from the area. So, the post office handles banking now, where people can manage their money. Both personal and business accounts work.
Roger is thankful for Jamie Davey, who has worked there for 26 years. Jamie and others kept the branch open. They gave vital help during the pandemic. The post office also offers package drop-offs now. Evri and DPD are available there.
They still offer regular mail services too. Roger even holds packages for people. Nicola Ballard praised Roger, saying he cares deeply. She stated his 50 years are very impressive, and he’s truly been part of Dawlish his whole adult life.
Nicola noted Roger adapts well. He meets the community’s changing needs. She thanked him for his dedication to Dawlish. Roger received an award and thanked him for his long community service. The award recognized his 50 years as postmaster.