Special award for postmistress Kay

When Kathleen White first started work at Claverley Post Office in 1942, Anne Frank was starting her diary and classic film Bambi was screened for the first time.

The 82-year-old took over as sub-postmistress in 1960 and is now celebrating 50 years running what has become a lifeline for elderly people in the village near Wolverhampton.

She has now been surprised with a special award at the High Street branch by the Post Office for her decades of dedicated service.

"Now I've reached 50 years I will just keep going as I still enjoy it," beamed Kathleen. I don't know what the pensioners in the village would do without us I love meeting people and I love talking so it's the perfect job, although it's more of a dedication than a job really.

"I've got many happy memories of things that have happened in the shop and I don't plan to leave any time soon. I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't here."

The enterprising octogenarian has seen the role of her small shop change countless times since she began working there at the age of 15.

Kathleen, who never married, was born at Lea Farm, Claverley, in 1927 to farming parents. She attended the village school with her three siblings.

When older sister Margaret, now aged 85, went to work as a clothes maker at Francis Young, in Wolverhampton, Kathleen followed. She soon tired of the repetitive work and returned to Claverley where she became a post office assistant for Ernie and Jessie Drew.

The post office had been bought from Mrs Drew's mother for £200 in 1927 the year Kathleen was born. When the couple died, Kathleen, who was living in nearby Danford, moved into the building in High Street and became sub-postmistress.

She said: "When I first started we would sell a lot of sweets and cigarettes but they have gradually become less popular.

"We used to do a lot of telegrams and when it came to Christmas we would have a huge amount to send through from the RAF officers at Halfpenny Green.

"We also stocked daily papers and sorted mail for the whole village until about 18 years ago. Nowadays we do more post office trade and lots of elderly residents come in to buy things when they can't get to the supermarkets.

"The shop itself hasn't changed much over the years, although there is a security barrier now and we're computerised too."

Kathleen's main companions in the shop have been a number of corgi and dachshund dogs, which have slept under the counter and kept her entertained between customers. Day in, day out for 50 years, Kathleen, who is known as Kay to her customers, has sacrificed a lot of her free time for the sake of the community.

"When I first took over I didn't have holidays and would just take Bank Holidays off," she continued.

"Since my niece Anne started helping out 18 years ago I've been able to take the odd week here and there and I love to travel."

But the business has not stopped Kathleen from packing lots of activities into the hours she does have off.

A former Sunday school teacher, she is also an active member of the congregation at All Saints Church in Claverley. She was a member of the parish council for 38 years.

Kathleen is still on the village hall committee and plays for Claverley Indoor Bowls.

In the past she was a key player in Claverley Amateur Dramatics Society, Bridgnorth and Claverley Ladies Luncheon Clubs and the village's Ladies Fellowship.

She remains close to sister Margaret and brothers Reg, aged 87, and Roy, aged 86, and her large extended family. In 2007 Kathleen travelled to Buckingham Palace when she was invited to a Queen's garden party in honour of her service to the village.

Margaret said: "Kay stays open for the old people in the village but she doesn't think she's one herself. Everybody in the community knows her and it would be a huge loss to everybody if the shop shut."

Kathleen was presented with her long service award yesterday.

Lynn Hobbs, Post Office's general manager for network support, said running the business for 50 years was an "incredible achievement. She said: "We are very grateful to Kathleen for her commitment and dedication to the Post Office for half a century.

"Kathleen has a real connection with the community in Claverley which is why she has been such a successful sub-postmistress for all these years."