RESIDENTS of Newport's Mon Bank estate have launched a campaign to stop their beloved postman from being reassigned to another area.
More than 200 people there have signed a petition calling on Royal Mail to rethink their plans to put postie Rob Whitehead on another round.
Royal Mail told the Argus it was revising some postal rounds in response to population changes, and promised the move "will have no impact on the quality of service experienced by our customers in the local area".
But in Mon Bank, residents are reluctant to accept any changes.
Michelle Norton is one of the people campaigning for Mr Whitehead to stay.
She said he had been the neighbourhood's postman "for years" and is "a lovely gentleman".
"He is very polite and provides an excellent service for us all," she told the Argus.
"Royal Mail now want to move him from the estate and replace him.
"We do not want this for Mon Bank and are starting a local petition."
Ms Norton and her neighbours are now calling on Royal Mail to reverse their decision, and hope the petition will prove just how sorely Mr Whitehead would be missed.
"We really do value him and what he does to brighten our days," she said.
Other residents have sung the praises of their favourite postman, who they say is a part of their community.
Jo Harvey said: "A cheery smile and a 'Hi, how are you?' makes all the difference. Not just a postman – a real friend."
Vic Ward said: "When times were tough during the pandemic and I was stuck in the house for months, seeing Rob each day really made me smile and cheered me up.
"He is such a valued member of our community, and I for one really don't want to see him go."
And Yvonne Bale said Mr Whitehead was "as much a part of this community as we are" and called on Royal Mail to "see the value of this asset".
Commenting on the residents' petition, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Over the last 10 years, the number of addresses we deliver to has grown by more than two million and many postmen and women’s routes have not been revised in this time.
"This can mean that some routes can be an hour or two longer than others, for example where new housing developments have been built. Jointly with our trade unions, we have revised routes throughout the country to ensure they are fairer and reflect the growth in addresses and parcel deliveries.
"Last year, we delivered revisions in around 1,200 delivery offices and a further 500 in other parts of the business.
"It is following such a revision that a different colleague is now delivering mail in the Mon Bank area of Newport. We are confident that this will have no impact on the quality of service experienced by our customers in the local area."