A postmistress is celebrating 40 years of service at the heart of her community.
Johanne Hole has reached the milestone at Bartley Post Office in the New Forest, where she has become a familiar and trusted face.
Johanne began her Post Office career in 1973 at her family’s Northend Post Office in Warwickshire, before moving to Southampton in 1979 with her parents and late husband Keith to take over the Bartley branch.
She said: "I feel very lucky with where I have lived in great locations, firstly working at my dad’s Post Office in the foothills of the Burton Dassett Hills and now in the New Forest, where I have really lovely customers – they are wonderful.
"When we first arrived, we’d planned to stay for a year, but we fell in love with the place."
She officially became postmistress on April 7, 1985, following the sudden death of her husband Keith.
In later years, she ran the Bartley branch with her second husband Brian until his death in 2019.
Her daughter, Michela Horner, now helps with the business.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the family kept the post office and shop open.
Johanne said: "We wanted to maintain vital Post Office services for this rural community.
"We were really busy as people wanted to stay local and people were not travelling to Southampton and Totton for work.
"Many new customers then became loyal to us."
In 2023, the business was forced to close for six weeks following a ram raid.
A dog lover, Johanne owns three Rottweilers and believes their presence has helped deter further break-ins.
Now 75, she continues to serve the community with the help of her family.
To mark her four decades of service, she was presented with a Post Office 40 Years’ Long Service Award.
Debbie Morgan, Post Office area manager, said: "I really want to really thank Johanne for the 1st class service that she has provided to her rural village for the past four decades as postmistress.
"Johanne’s Post Office really is at the heart of the Bartley community and Johanne is a very popular postmistress."
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