early in the morning, just as day is dawning

I've been away for a while. In the time since I last confessed, my life is in even more turmoil. I spent many nights with Pip. She is adorable. I'm home with Thumper again now. She understands I'm in great pain I think. I must address this matter soon. Its not fair to anyone including me.

Pip has to give an important speech to important people soon. She is a very busy woman and has spent far too much time attending to my needs. She is my comfort blanket.

Pip is still a bit unsure what to say in her speech.

Because I am a braggart and think I'm articulate, I said to Pip I'd write her a short speech and post it on here. She could make of it what she will. I would not (mostly truthfully) take offence at wholesale rejection.

Here is the result

"Good Morning. My Name is (insert your name here) and I’m the CEO of (insert organisation here)

I’ve come along today, to pledge my support to the campaign to keep our Post Offices open.

As a person who works, predominantly, with older people in our communities, I feel it is important to speak out about this issue, in the hope, that if enough people get together. Government Opinion will change.

In order to talk to you briefly today, I should share a confidence with you.

I’m an Internet Woman ! (Pause for a slight laugh. Timing is important here)

Here’s a quote from the Post Offices’ own web-site

“A local post office does more than provide a friendly and accessible service for its customers.”

I could not agree more !

There is a very long list somewhere of what our Post Offices’ provide in the community; but listen for a moment to what the National Audit Office said about these closures.

“More should be done to help post offices become self-sufficient"

The Audit Office goes on to say

“There could be more closures in the future if business volumes continue to fall. One of the big problems is that business drops by 20 per cent in the immediate aftermath of a branch closure”

From my perspective of caring for the needs of older people in our community, I would put forward the idea that a very significant proportion of Post Office business comes from older people.

And here’s the point.

I believe it makes hard sense in business, that a community who feels cared for, thought about and included, is a community that thrives, spends money, organises it’s own life and remains properly independent for longer.

Local Post Offices, as we know, form a vital and important link to the outside world for people who are sometimes less mobile and restricted in where they can go.

Post offices, like pharmacists, are key to the vitality of locations which are often far removed from the nearest high street.

My concern is, that when a Post Office closes, other shop’s follow. This then results in less choice for local people and, for those with the least mobility, an increased sense of isolation.

The more negative results of this are all too apparent for all of us who work alongside older people in keeping their lives dignified independent and sociable.

In conclusion then,

I believe the Government must show a wider understanding of this issue and listen to the words of a clever man called Albert Einstein. (And I can think of no better way to put this)

Albert Einstein said

“Not everything that counts can be counted.”

It is an important lesson for us all.

Thank you"

JVIP