Stephen Jewell, from Valley, has been delivering the mail in his village for 47 years
A popular postman has retired at the age of 66 after 47 years of service.
Stephen Jewell, from Valley, is so popular with customers that a Go Fund Me page was set up during the pandemic as a way of people thanking him for all the extra parcels he was delivering.
He says that he fell into the job "by chance" back in 1973 when he bumped into the postmaster at his local pub.
He was looking for a job at the time that would allow him to fulfil his footballing commitments to Holyhead Town Football Club, but most of the work available to him involved weekend shifts, meaning he would miss some games.
So when he got an offer to work as a postman on New Year's Eve that year, Steve says that he jumped at the opportunity and has "not looked back since."
Stephen has been married to his wife Wendy for 42 years. They have two children, Jonathan, 37, and Toya, 31, and three grandchildren - Max, Jake and Archie.
Having worked in Valley for over four decades, the 66-year-old is a popular character in the area which is evidenced by the number of cards and gifts he has received since he completed his last shift on Friday (February 26).
Valley residents also set up a Go Fund Me page for Stephen during the first lockdown after seeing how hard he had been working with such a high volume of packages to deliver.
"The last 12 months, working during the pandemic has been hectic because there's so many packages to deliver. People are buying online now more than ever because the shops have closed and my van has been full every day.
"Normally I'd have a handful of days a year, if that, when it would be that busy, but since the lockdown it's been like Christmas every day. "With the reception I got on my last day, I was quite overwhelmed to be honest. I've received over a hundred cards and gifts. Some of the residents also set up a Go Fund Me page for me during the first lockdown that raised £1,000 which was unbelievable.
"They have made my job a pleasure over the years," Stephen said.
One of the main benefits of working as a postman for so long, Stephen says, is that it helped him keep fit over the years.
"The job has always helped me keep fit. When I was younger, it allowed me to play my football, but I would also cycle from house to house during my shifts which helped me stay healthy.
"I would do around 12 miles a day - I can't imagine how much that is in steps," he said.
Though the fresh air and the cycling were definite positives of the role for Stephen, the main reason why he stayed in the job for so long was because of its social side.
"The main thing I enjoyed about the job was the people. I've seen people grow up, I've been to weddings and funerals. It's been a big part of my life that I might not have had without it," Stephen said.
Inevitably, there have been some changes over the years with the advent of technology in particular. Stephen says that this has also had on impact on the communal role he played as a postman in the town.
"The job itself has changed quite a bit over the years. The main difference from when I started, I'd say, is the technology. I deliver to the same places pretty much, but now there's track and trace and signed-for deliveries and stuff like that.
"Before the days of the internet, I'd just knock on a door with a parcel and that would be it. During those days, I'd pass on information in the village - people would come to me for the news in a way.
"If someone was ill or had passed away, I'd be the one that would pass on the message. People would ask me on my shifts 'any news today, Steve?'"
The father-of-two has many fond memories from over the years, but one shift from his early days stands out in particular for him.
"There's been a few shifts that have stood out from the rest for one reason or another. I remember one time, back in the seventies, I delivered a pig in the back of a van to Valley market.
"I arrived at this small holding and the people there were upset because the person who was going to deliver their pig to the market had not turned up. They were distraught because the pig would have been worth a decent amount of money to them, so I took it there myself.
"I got it to the market on time and it fetched a good price when it was there as well. I remember it like it was yesterday - it was definitely one of my stranger deliveries," Stephen recalled.
As for the future, the 66-year-old says that he plans to enjoy his time doing his three main hobbies - sailing, gardening, and being with his three grandchildren.
"I just want to thank everyone in Valley for their kindness over the years and over the past few days in particular. I've made some friends for life in this job and for that I'm very grateful," said the former postman.