Walthamstow Village Residents Association

Over 200 local people turned up to support the Association's 'Buy a stamp' protest at the planned closure of Orford Road Post Office on Saturday 15th March. Residents and local businesses have relied upon its post office to provide key services for 122 years since it was opened in 1886.

Free teas and soft drinks were served from a 'living room' created in the street with chairs, tables and other household furniture to underline the pivotal role of this post office not only as a vital service provider to local people and businesses, but as a meeting place for the entire community.
Local MP Neil Gerrard and GLA member Jeanette Arnold displayed their support, and stayed and chatted to locals for a long time.

Many residents took advantage of our stall to sign the petition and complete our freepost consultation post cards. A considerable number raised the serious impact of this closure upon the unusually high proportion of elderly and vulnerable living nearby (due in part to a number of sheltered housing developments close to the village centre), and the absence of any viable public transport to the alternative post offices.

A queue 100 strong formed for the press photocall at 11am, with the following week's Walthamstow Guardian devoting an entire page to the story and photos, and a picture appearing in the London Paper. Unfortunately the London News film crew had to pull out at the last minute due to an incident in south London.

The official count of those wearing an item of red clothing to 'form London's longest red queue' was 78. WVRA president Ray Swingler won (by a short head) the prize for the most audacious outfit, turning up in medieval garb, including a chain mail helmet and fetching red tights.

Whether we've save our Post Office has yet to be seen, but the impressive turnout and social vibrancy of the event, coupled with amazing display of red posters in virtually every house window in the Village, is compelling evidence of a very special and spirited community.
What other events can the Association run to help sustain and strengthen it?

Here are some pictures from the day.