Subpostmistress for Essendine, Empingham and Tallington Adele Stainsby retires after 27 years

A subpostmistress who stepped up to save a village service from closure is retiring after 27 years.

Adele Stainsby was already leading a village hall committee when she learned that her local post office was to close unless someone new came forward to run it.

Despite having her hands full with a young family, volunteering commitments and a teaching career, Adele agreed to take on the challenge temporarily and she started to run post office services from the kitchen of Essendine Village Hall.

Eighteen months later Adele refurbished her garage to run the service from her home in Glen Crescent and has continued to work from there ever since.

She has also been running satellite services in Empingham and Tallington, but stamped her final letters at all three branches this week.

Adele, 66, said: “My customers have always been the reason for me doing the role for so many years. Many of them have become friends and we have all been on life journeys together.”

The outreach services at Empingham Methodist Church and Tallington Village Hall have proven to be a lifeline for many older people, particularly as they continued to operate during the pandemic.

In Empingham, Eileen and Ian Ray set up community afternoon tea gatherings to run alongside the post office service, while Tallington Parish Council and village hall committee have offered strong support there.

Customers visited the three branches for a final time this week to say their goodbyes and thank Adele for her years of service.

Essendine and Tallington’s post office services have now closed permanently while Empingham will be served by a mobile post office van on Tuesday afternoons in the car park of The Twisted Trout.

Adele said: “I am sad to leave a long career with the Post Office. It has seen some challenging times, particularly with the Horizon scandal, which didn’t impact me like so many of my colleagues but did affect me financially and mentally.

“But now, while I am fit and healthy, it is time to begin some new adventures.”

Adele is already planning a trip to Sri Lanka with her husband Joe. She also plans to take up paddleboarding and spend more time volunteering with the Canal and River Trust and Second Helpings in Stamford.