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Joe Morris MP visited Hexham Delivery Office to find out more about how they operate during the peak Christmas period.
This is Royal Mail’s busiest time of year, with around double the normal volume of letters and parcels.
He spoke to Tony Jackson, the lead customer operations manager, about Royal Mail’s Christmas strategy.
This includes the introduction of services such as Parcel Collect, where postmen pick up parcels from customers’ doorsteps.
They are also offering more ways to drop off parcels at a variety of times and locations.
Royal Mail has set up more than 5,000 parcel points this year, including at Collect+ stores, and is increasing the number of parcel lockers.
According to the company, they prepare for Christmas throughout the year.
Across the UK, 16,000 temporary workers have been hired to help the 85,000 postmen sort the additional mail and the rising number of parcels expected during the festive period.
Almost 4,000 new vans, trucks, and trailers will also be added to the fleet in time for Christmas.
To meet the increased demand for deliveries in the local area, Hexham Delivery Office has recruited four new staff members and nine extra vehicles for the Christmas period.
Mr Jackson said: “It was great to have Joe visit our delivery office, and to show him how we are gearing up for our peak period.
“We are pulling out all the stops to deliver Christmas for our customers.”
Mr Morris said: “Royal Mail is an iconic part of Christmas in the UK – it wouldn’t be the same without our postmen.
“I’ve got a newfound appreciation for what they do after seeing how the operation works on the inside.”
