Leyland residents celebrating as outreach post office opens in Moss Side

Moss Side residents are celebrating the opening of a new outreach post office.
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The branch will be available every Wednesday from 12-30pm to 4-30pm at Moss Side Community Centre in Dunkirk Lane, Leyland.

An outreach branch is a mobile Post Office that visits smaller, more remote communities at a set time on set days and provides a walk-in service.

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It will offer easy access to vital services, including bill payments, postal services, cash withdrawals, vehicle tax, foreign currency, travel insurance, savings account opening, and postal orders.

The new outreach Post Office at Moss Side Community Centre in Leyland.The new outreach Post Office at Moss Side Community Centre in Leyland.
The new outreach Post Office at Moss Side Community Centre in Leyland.

Lou Jackson, deputy vice-chairperson of the Moss Side Community Forum, said: “It glues us together and enlivens the community. Services that we really need are being taken away and when you look around, you see empty units.

“But the Post Office will help to fill units, boost businesses and encourage people to use the nearby shops. It’s serving the community, which is what we are all about.

“The Moss Side ward is growing, as nearly 1,000 new homes are being built on the test track, so we’ll need the Post Office even more.

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“Banks are being closed down, so this branch is a vital alternative for paying bills or getting foreign currency for your holidays."

Post Office change manager Amanda Coghlan with postmaster Craig Greenhalgh and counter clerk Matthew Ellis.Post Office change manager Amanda Coghlan with postmaster Craig Greenhalgh and counter clerk Matthew Ellis.
Post Office change manager Amanda Coghlan with postmaster Craig Greenhalgh and counter clerk Matthew Ellis.

The village has not had its own branch since McColl's closed in 2018, and previously the closest one was at Seven Stars.

So when Burscough postmaster Craig Greenhalgh offered to create an outreach unit in Moss Side, Lou and her team jumped at the chance.

Craig now has outreach services in a pub, church, builders merchants, and a community centre.

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He said: "They are a great community thing. People love that we are here."

Opening of new Post Office at Moss Side Community Centre in Leyland. Left to right are Loretta Whiteley, Anne Livesey, Coun. Colin sharples, Coun. Paul Foster, Georgina Rodgers and Lou Jackson.Opening of new Post Office at Moss Side Community Centre in Leyland. Left to right are Loretta Whiteley, Anne Livesey, Coun. Colin sharples, Coun. Paul Foster, Georgina Rodgers and Lou Jackson.
Opening of new Post Office at Moss Side Community Centre in Leyland. Left to right are Loretta Whiteley, Anne Livesey, Coun. Colin sharples, Coun. Paul Foster, Georgina Rodgers and Lou Jackson.

Loretta, a trustee of the Moss Side Community Forum, said: “There was no other answer apart from yes, as getting up to Seven Stars is a mission if you have mobility issues or you’re a single parent.

"For me, it's such an invaluable service for the community. It's just going to be absolutely fantastic."

Coun. Paul Foster, leader of South Ribble Borough Council, helped to mark the official opening by cutting the ribbon.

His colleague, Coun. Colin Sharples, who covers Earnshaw Bridge and is on the forum as an appointee, said: "Let's hope people use it. If you don't use it, you could lose it."

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