By Jed Lanyon
A postie has been recognised for his contributions to the community by the Rotary Club of Healesville as Barry Thatcher was awarded Rotary’s Pride of Workmanship award.
“The whole point of the award is to recognise the hard work of a member of our community,” said Rotary president Michael Hardinge. “Barry was recognised by one of our members who see him on a daily basis doing his rounds as a postie.
“He’s not only been a very hardworking member of Australia Post for several years now. During Covid-19 he’s brought a sense of normality and positivity and the local shop owners have appreciated that positivity as they’re going through uncertain times.”
Mr Thatcher was grateful to be recognised for his work.
“It takes a bit of commitment to do the job i’m doing, particularly this year with everything going awry… Seeing so many people who are at a loose end or are feeling down, I’ve tried to communicate to them that we’re all in this together and that we’re all going to get through it.”
Mr Thatcher said the attitude was inspired by his parents, who lived through a difficult period in history.
“This has come from my parents. They were both born in the early Depression and went through the second world war. No matter what, my father said ‘we will get through it’ and they got through it, so I thought, we’ll get through this too.
“Thank you very much from my grateful heart… It gives me a sense of hope for our community.”
Mr Hardinge said the award recognised the work of those, who might otherwise go unnoticed.
“It’s for the kind of people you see everyday and are always there but might fly under the radar with the work they do. But they always go the extra mile and that is appreciated by the whole community.”
Mr Thatcher was nominated by Rotary’s vice president Sally Piper, who is one of the business owners who took notice of Mr Thatcher’s kindness.
“Barry’s carried out a service in our community where we see the results, but often overlook how the results are achieved,” Ms Piper said. “For the last six years, the businesses in main street have benefitted from the reliable, consistent and personal customer assistance provided by Barry.
“He provides the safe and efficient delivery of our mail to our businesses. Despite the conditions, Barry turns up and it’s always done with a smile and usually a quick, happy, little chat.
“During the activities of Covid-19 though, where our routines were turned on its head, Barry’s service gave us something special and something we really needed. It was a sense of normality and a sense of order in our lives.”
Ms Piper said Mr Thatcher assisted during a difficult period where she felt she wanted to give up. Ms Piper’s carpet in the store had flooded, while the constant stream of government information coming in felt like too much to absorb.
“Barry happened to pop in that day with my mail as usual and he said, “I’ll look after your mail, while you get yourself organised”. It was like a shot in the arm, it gave me this feeling that everything is going to be okay.”
