THE LATEST incarnation of Wilsden’s eight-decades-old Post Office has celebrated its first birthday.

The Post Office was housed in 112 Main Street for more than 80 years until its closure a few years ago.

The efforts of the team of residents led to the building reopening as Wilsden Community Post Office on January 26, 2017.

The volunteers recently held a public first birthday party with cakes and sweets, and reduced prices on hot drinks.

Wilsden Parish Council chairman Peter Allison, one of the volunteers, said: “In addition to being a post office the business is also a newsagent and supplies confectionery, greeting cards and stationery.

“The post office side of the business has grown steadily over the last year but it needs support from the retail side of the business to generate sufficient business to achieve a sustainable future.”

Wilsden Community Post Office was set up as a community company with more than 100 members and is managed by three volunteer directors.

The directors are Jenny Lightowler, Trevor Dufton and Cllr Allison and the postmaster is Bryan Crosby.

Cllr Allison said: “We employ two experienced post office staff who are supported by a large number of volunteers who help man the shop at busy times of the day.

“As well as being a commercial business it is important that the Community Post Office is a hub for the village community and the shop layout is designed to facilitate this.

“It has been pleasing that a large number of small local businesses have found Wilsden Post Office has improved their effectiveness.

“As the number of banks in local towns, such as Bingley, has reduced we have also been able to provide banking services to both business and private customers.”

Mr Allison said the post office had focused on improving the selection of greeting cards and stationery items as well as offering a local shop window for businesses that do not have a presence on Wilsden Main Street.

He added: “One line that has been extremely successful over the last three months is the supply of reproductions of historic drawings of Wilsden by Reg Fawcett. These have been produced in partnership with a local company Black Sheep Design.

“We are also able to take orders on behalf of a local florist, Lily Knight, who doesn’t have a high street presence.”