A beloved postman in east Perthshire has received a heartfelt send-off from the community after more than three decades of dedicated service. Lawrence Kippen, who delivered mail to residents of Meigle and Ardler, retired at the end of May following 32 years on the job.
Community celebration
A special gathering was held at the Kinloch Memorial Hall on Saturday to thank Lawrence and wish him well in his retirement. The event featured a collection that raised an impressive £1,200, as well as two commemorative books filled with photos and messages from local residents.
Organiser's tribute
Doris Scott, one of the organisers of the send-off, praised Lawrence's dedication. "Lawrence has been a wonderful postie over the last 32 years and has gone above and beyond his postie duties, helping many people over the years," she said. "Friendly and reliable through rain, shine and everything in between, he has been a constant and much-loved part of the community for so long. He's seen children, grandchildren – and in some cases great-grandchildren – grow up in the village and has been hugely supportive to so many people, often stopping for a blether and putting the world to rights."
She added: "He will be terribly missed but we all wish him a long, happy and well-deserved retirement."
Postie's gratitude
Lawrence expressed his thanks to the community. "I have had the privilege and the pleasure of being your postie for 32 years, watching children grow up, and having a blether and plenty of laughs with just about everybody on umpteen subjects," he said. "To all my customers in Meigle, Ardler, and the surrounding areas, I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and generosity, and for all your lovely gifts, cards and messages. This is a day I'll never forget."
He also gave a special mention to Doris Scott for organising the event. "I'd like to say a special thank you to Doris for organising this event, and to everyone who came along today. I'm very honoured and grateful, it's blown me away."
Community trust chair's comments
Ali Napier, chair of the Meigle and Ardler Community Development Trust (MACDT), was among those at the get-together. "We're all hugely grateful to Lawrence for his many years of dedicated service in the villages and hope he enjoys a long and happy retirement," he said. "We're very lucky here in Meigle and Ardler to have such a strong community, and it was great to see so many people turn out to wish Lawrence well. Thanks to Doris and the volunteers for organising the collection and for the wonderful spread of home-baking – it was a brilliant send-off for a lovely man."
