AFTER months of tireless work behind the scenes, Christow’s new Post Office Outreach service is now up and running.

Run by Chudleigh Postmaster Eddie Haws, the service will run every Tuesday from 11:30am-1pm from the Teign Valley Community Hall at Christow.

Now running Post Office Outreach services across Teignbridge and even into North Devon, Eddie knows the value of such a facility in isolated communities.

‘They’re important because it means that there’s a post office and banking services provided to communities that often don’t have much other stuff,’ said Eddie.

‘Denbury has only a pub, and here’s the same now after the shop closed.’

As time has gone on, many smaller communities in the Teign Valley and beyond have lost most of their basic amenities, leaving those without transport having to make long and difficult journeys just to access their bank or send a parcel.

He added: ‘There’s definitely a practical element to the outreaches, but you also become a point of contact for many people.

‘As time goes by, you tend to get to know everybody on first-name terms and they’ll bring family members in. For a lot of them, it’s someone they can come talk to.

‘Even if they can get to a bank, a lot of it is automated by computers now. People want to talk to an actual human. And that doesn’t just go for older people, it’s younger people as well.’

Eddie’s Outreach services are as follows:

► Tuesday: Denbury - 9am-10.30am; Christow - 11.30am-1pm and Chudleigh Knighton - 2pm-3.30pm

► Thursday: Chudleigh Knighton - 8.30am-10.30am; Starcross - 1130am-1.30pm and Bridford - 2.45pm-3.45pm