Shropshire postmaster celebrates 30 years of dedicated service
A Shropshire postmaster has reached a significant milestone after achieving 30 years of dedicated service at Bucknell Post Office.
German-born Klaus Steffes moved to Shropshire after meeting his English girlfriend, Karen, who is now his wife, whilst she had been working in Germany at the Japanese, then Canadian Embassy in Berlin.
Klaus, who lived in a rural area on the outskirts of Bonn, agreed to move to England with Karen, but he had certain criteria to be met. Karen was originally from Willenhall, but he didn’t want to live in a town or city as he loves the countryside. He also wanted somewhere to be able to see and to be able to enjoy the four seasons.
They needed a home and Klaus was looking for a business opportunity. Bucknell Post Office and a gorgeous, rare, crook frame house, built in 1486, ticked all the boxes.
“I can look out of my windows and see the rolling hills. I can currently see the leaves changing colour, and there are four distinct seasons, so I am very happy,” Steffes said. “This is a very close-knit community, and many people are related, or they’ve lived here a long time. People have made us very welcome.”
The post office has been a lifeline for the community, especially during the pandemic when it remained open, providing vital services like cash withdrawals, bill payments, and parcel services.
“On a Wednesday, the pensioners enjoy coffee morning at the church, and they all come here to take out pension money to last the week. This is a sociable place to be,” Steffes added.
Jennifer Pougunas, Post Office Area Manager, praised Steffes for his long-standing service. “I want to sincerely thank Klaus for being the postmaster for Bucknell for 30 years. His Post Office is essential for this village and the surrounding communities. He’s well-liked in the village and he really cares about his customers,” she said.
