Greg Barker's fight to save Post Office

He called on postmaster Steve Fenton and his team at the Peartree Lane post office to hear for himself how the Post Office provides a vital service to the village community.

Mr Barker said: "The loss of any local Post Office would be a severe blow for any local community, particularly those in rural areas like ours. This has been made clear to me from both the letters I have received and from the ever growing number who have signed my online petition. So far 212 have lodged their support for keeping the post offices open."

Many residents use the Post Office as both a bank, general store and for its postage and welfare services.

Mr Barker launched his 'Save Our Post Offices Campaign' last month and aims to tap into local support for the Post Offices to help make his case to keep them open.

He added: "The Labour Government already holds the record for closing Post Offices faster than any other government in history. By the time of the next election, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown will have closed over one third of the entire Post Office network.

"Many of my elderly constituents are heavily dependant on their local Post Office as the effort or expense of a longer journey becomes increasingly difficult to handle.

"Bexhill people should not have to travel miles just to pay a bill or post a letter, but Labour is determined to deprive local people of vital postal services, hitting the most vulnerable hardest."

There is now an online petition on Mr Barker's website www.gregorybarker.com where you can lodge your support for the campaign.

*The MP will be holding a meeting on the proposed Post Office cuts on November 2 at St Andrew's Church, Wickham Avenue. Campaigners can join him on a march to the venue at 10.45am from Devonshire Square.