Save your Post Office

1.52.02pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Oct 2006

Winchester Liberal Democrats realise that Post Offices in rural areas are the lifeblood of their communities. The rural Post Office is much more than a place to buy stamps and post letters - it is a vital service, providing social and cultural advantages to isolated populations across the country. Whilst the Government continues to deliberate over their future, 14,000 sub Post Offices face a period of great uncertainty. The Post Office has already lost important contracts such as the Post Office Card Account and TV licensing, and in the last year alone £168 million of Government services have been taken away from Post Offices.

The Government needs to understand that the real value of a post office cannot be measured simply by turnover, and it must recognise that the benefit to the community goes far beyond the 'doorstep' of the Post Office.

What you can do to help ...

Send a letter to Jim Fitzpatrick MP, the Minister responsible Post Offices. Use your local Post Office to send the letter, which should tell Mr Fitzpatrick what your local PO means to you and your community.

In your letter please include the following points:

· How important your local Post Office is to you

· What role it plays in your local community

· Please copy in your local Lib Dem MP, Mark Oaten

Jim Fitzpatrick MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Postal Services

Department of Trade and Industry

1 Victoria Street

London SW1H 0ET