8:10am Friday 17th July 2009
By Joanna Kilvington
After covering more than 50,000 miles on his bike – the distance from London to Las Vegas – a well-loved postie will be hanging up his satchel as he makes his last delivery today.
Brian Wheeler has become a familiar face on the streets of Ham, where he has been greeting residents with their post every morning for 35 years.
But after braving the elements on his five-mile round for more than three decades, 62-year-old Mr Wheeler will finally be able to enjoy a lie-in as he takes early retirement today.
Mr Wheeler, of Wordsworth Road, Hampton, said: “I used to get up at 3am and start the round at 5am. Now I get up at 4am to begin at 6am.
“My wife has said the extra hour has made me seem brighter and more awake.
“I’ll probably enjoy another hour in bed after retiring.”
Born in Brentford in August 1946, Mr Wheeler began working for Royal Mail in 1968 after being told to leave his job at a plastic factory when he suffered a reaction to the resin powder used.
On visiting the doctors he was told to look for a job where he could be outdoors – and his career as a postman began, originally delivering mail in Kew.
Since then the first class postie has seen people come and go, children move away from home and people getting old as he carries out his delivery come rain or shine.
He said: “The rain is not very good, nor is the snow. And I’ve been bitten three times by dogs.”
Yet there are plenty of good reasons Mr Wheeler has stayed in the job for so long.
He said: “I’ve enjoyed the friendships I’ve made with the other postmen, we always have fun. I’ve also enjoyed meeting people on the delivery. Some people have been there almost the whole time.”
Proving his popularity, residents on his round, including those living in Kingfisher Drive, Hardwicke Road and Simpson Road, have been making a collection for the postman to deliver him a special goodbye present.
Kingfisher Drive resident David Jones said: “He’s really special to a lot of people."
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