LIFESAVER: Mick Tugwell said being a postman in East Grinstead saved his life due to the physical exercise Photo by Kevin Shaw
"BEING a postman literally saved my life."
This is the uplifting message from a man who will be a familiar face to many residents in East Grinstead.
At the age of 60, postman Mick Tugwell has walked thousands of miles during his 44-year career with Royal Mail.
But he might not have got to celebrate his milestone birthday last month had it not been for his physically demanding job which sees him deliver post to homes including 16 blocks of flats – none of which have lifts.
About 15 years ago, the Sackville Gardens resident suffered blocked arteries and underwent a successful quadruple heart bypass.
Yet despite already walking about 30 miles a week – 1,560 miles a year – the doctor told him that he needed to do more exercise.
But with new homes – and extra letterboxes – popping up all over the town over the past few decades and the advent of internet shopping, doing more exercise wasn't a problem.
He explained: "When I started in 1971, neither the Herontye Estate, Woodbury Estate, Estcots Estate or Lynton Park had been built yet. After my heart bypass, the doctor said you need to do more exercise and I thought 'that's fine', because I've got 16 blocks of flats on my rounds and all of them have stairs – and nowadays with internet shopping and all the parcels we have to carry, there's plenty of exercise to be had. It's good, I don't mind. It keeps me fit."
Born in East Grinstead in 1955, Mr Tugwell celebrated his 60th birthday with his three children and five grandchildren just before Christmas and wife Angie, who celebrated her 60th on Christmas Eve. Over the years he has also garnered a reputation for going the extra mile and going out of his way to help out his customers.
"I try to help where I can," he said. "I go to a lot of elderly people's houses where I might be the only person they see that day. For some of them I pick up their prescriptions. There's one lady who has a wind-up clock in her living room but it's too high up for her to reach, so I go in and wind it up for her."
He was a telegram boy for two years before moving onto general post in West Hoathly from 1973 to 1979, then to Hammerwood where he stayed for more than 20 years.
In 2002, he moved to his current beat, which covers Railway Approach, Brooklands Way and the Copyhold Estate.
He's clear that much has changed during his time.
"Definitely, things are different," he said. "Back when I started postmen used to do things like empty the coins out of the red telephone boxes.
"I remember it was so heavy because it was all the old two-pence pieces.
"Back then the rounds were all done on bike rather than by van.
"Before we went out for the day the inspector would check our shoes and tie to make sure we were clean. All that seems so old fashioned now."
Yes, and Moya will assume that's what we all need. 