Family postman Martin Henry 'blown away' by support

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Family of Potters Bar postman Martin Henry 'blown away' by support

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The family of a “kind and funny” postman say they have been “blown away” by the support they have received since he suffered a stroke.

Martin Henry, 52, of Black Horse Lane, South Mimms, is being cared for in Barnet Hospital after suffering a stroke five weeks ago.

The father-of-four, who has worked as a postman in Potters Bar for 30 years, is paralysed down one side with no short term memory, and will need to spend the next year in hospital.

A popular figure in the community, more than £2,000 has been raised to support his family by the White Hart and Black Horse pubs in South Mimms, the post office in Darkes Lane, Potters Bar and Mylan Generics, a pharmaceutical company based in Potters Bar, where his wife Christine works.

Christine Henry, 44, said: “I have been totally and utterly blown away by the responses. I have always known he is popular, and now it shows. This is unbelievable. People have been absolutely amazing, everybody wants to help. I don’t know how to thank them enough.

“The money has helped massively. I have had to start working part-time, as I can only do mornings now because I need to go and see him every day. It’s a huge help.


“It would have been really tough otherwise, as I don’t know where I would have found the money to do it. This has been the worst thing our family have ever been through, and it has helped us get by.”

Mr Henry had the stroke while he was at the National Institute of Neurology, in central London, undergoing a routine operation for an aneurism.

Mrs Henry said the operation had been successful, and did not appear to have caused the stroke, which happened the following day.

She added: “Doctors got to him very quickly. It would have been a very different story if he hadn’t been in hospital already. There was no explanation, it was just one of those things I guess.”

Mr Henry was left in a coma for a few days, and was moved to Barnet Hospital, in Wellhouse Lane, a week ago.

He will eventually be moved to Northwick Park Hospital for long-term rehabilitation.

The couple have a ten-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son together, and Mr Henry has a 20-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, who live in Bournemouth and Letchworth, from a previous marriage.

Mrs Henry said: “He is a very loving father, and has a close relationship with our kids. He is very funny, and has always been sociable. He is a keen fisherman, and loves going to the pub.

“Everyone knows him in the village. He is a kind man, who will always help out, whether it’s by cutting the neighbour’s lawn or whatever he can do.

“It’s horrible not having him at home. I am trying to be mum and dad with limited time. It’s very hard, and I have no one to moan at.”

Despite suffering serious damage, Mrs Henry said her husband had been “quite smiley” in the past few days, which were “small steps in the right direction.”

She added: “People tell me the pubs are quiet without him. I said they would go out of business.”