Post Offices play a vital role within communities across the UK, and provide a range of services including, but not limited to, postal services, banking, bill payments, and passport applications.

For rural communities, they are often the only local point of access to essential services.

With Wales having such a large rural population, Post Offices are even more important to customers who rely on them for their postal and banking needs.

It is therefore deeply concerning that the UK Government are threatening to close Post Offices across the country.

Their plans to rip up protections for local Post Offices could leave our rural communities cut off in Wales.

People could be forced to travel 10,15, even 20 miles just to reach their nearest Post Office – often on poor public transport routes or none at all.

That means hours lost, extra costs, and for many, simply going without the services they depend on.

Banks have already abandoned many high streets and in many parts of rural Wales the Post Office is the only place left to access cash, sort pensions and send parcels for local businesses.   

The Labour Government need to remember that rural Post Offices across Wales are more than just a place to post a parcel. For many, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, they are a vital community hub, somewhere they can interact with others and stay connected.

It’s easy to underestimate the emotional importance of these spaces until they are gone.

In a society where loneliness and isolation are rising, especially in remote communities, the Post Office is a real lifeline.

We must also keep in mind the fact that they create jobs, often employing local staff and helping to keep money circulating in the local economy.

Instead of closing Post Offices we should be doing everything we can to help them to diversify their offerings, potentially by providing additional services such as healthcare or social care.

This could help to ensure the long-term sustainability of Post Offices, while also providing a wider range of services to local communities.

Whilst I appreciate many more things can be done online these days, we must remember that broadband coverage in parts on rural Wales still lags behind.

Also, we must not forget that there are many older residents who either don’t have access to the internet, or struggle to use it. I am regularly contacted by older residents urging me to protect face-to-face services.

Throughout my many years as an MS I have fought to protect bank services - I was delighted when my calls for a banking hub in Abergele were met - and I have always fought to protect our Post Offices too.    

Once a post office closes, it rarely returns, and sadly a community loses a bit of its soul.

With a quarter of post offices considered “the last shop in the village”, I will do everything I can to support our Postmasters and help secure the sustainability of the Post Office Network, and I encourage you all do your bit by making sure you use your local Post Office.

You can also help to prevent closures by supporting our petition to ‘Save Your Post Office’  www.whatlaboursaid.com/save-your-post-office