We all know the problems faced by people from all walks of life in getting about during the recent spell of bad weather. While some mail and delivery companies all but gave up, an army of paperboys and girls and more than a few enthusiastic adults made sterling efforts to get newspapers to customers through even the worst of the snow and ice. Helen Brown spoke to some of those who made it happen in Dundee.
It used to be paraphrasing the motto of the US Pony Express service that “the mail must get through” no matter what.
It’s perhaps better to draw a veil over the trials and tribulations of our postal system during the big freeze. But even if it was more ‘stand’ than ‘deliver’ on the letter and parcel front, an amazing number of newspaper deliveries reached their destinations.
In my mother’s suburb on the outskirts of Edinburgh, which was the worst place in terms of access that I saw over the six to eight weeks the snow and ice crust lasted, the papers got through every day. Her paperboy, the sainted Ray, got a very nice Christmas box bung from yours truly for that and also, I am sure, from many others whose newspapers hit the mat virtually without fail.
In Dundee, many grateful customers were amazed of a morning to find their Courier behind the door and view the imprint of their delivery person’s stout boots in the feet of snow that decked their paths.
J D Athwal, owner of Queen Street News in Broughty Ferry, has run his business there for 20 years and didn’t hesitate to describe this winter’s conditions as “horrendous the worst I’ve had to deal with in all that time.” His regular team of eight delivery boys who have been with him for between one and three years turned up trumps, however.
“They’re real troupers because we cover the whole of the Broughty area, with several hundred customers. Since it all happened, some of my clients have even been on the radio praising the boys for what they did. Bar none, they were delighted.”
Dave Forbes of Forbes Newsagents, Clepington Road, has been in business for 18 years and is also immediate past president of the Scottish district of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents which represents around 1600 members nationwide. He has nothing but praise for his five morning delivery staff four in their teens and one in his 60s who all turned up every day, no questions asked, during all the challenges the bad weather had to throw at them.
“I don’t think we’d ever had to deal with a situation as bad as this as far back as I can remember but not one person let us down. With the younger ones, too, parents helped out and got them where they needed to be. I went out myself to check on some of the areas and I knew exactly how bad it was, just trying to get from place to place.
“After the worst was over, a lot of customers came into the shop to tell us how delighted they were and show their appreciation with gifts and tips. I’ve also spoken to other members of the federation’s Scottish council and they’ve been saying the same thing. The effort was really something and people across the board just seemed to get on with it and get the job done.”
Kenny Berry, the supervisor of The Courier’s own Home News Delivery team in Broughty Ferry, was seriously impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of his team. Kenny’s regular team of 34 reaches out daily to around 700 home delivery customers.
“The conditions were as terrible, without a doubt, as anything I had seen in all the time I’ve been doing this, much worse than the snowy period the year before, even. At the start of the snow I was quite fearful looking out at it because it was obviously going to be really testing for us but everyone arrived, 100%, and the only time we couldn’t do much was a couple of days when deliveries didn’t arrive with us to start with.
“They’re a fantastic bunch and I was really proud of them.”
Kenny’s team includes Rab Glover who started with the delivery team after a long career in other departments of D. C. Thomson and who has been working the round for about three years now.
“We only missed one day, I think, but it was pretty heavy going. I use my car because it’s about a 10- to 12-mile area I cover and it took a bit of a bashing in some of the uphill streets. I got stuck four or five times and it all took about three hours instead of the usual one and a half. But the main thing was getting folk their papers and I think that’s what kept us all going. People rely on you and their reactions when you turned up on their doorstep were worth it!
“A couple of people came to the door to say what a grand job we were doing and how much they appreciated it. It was really rewarding.”
Alan Rodger (67) retired from refinery work a few years ago and started out making up orders for a paper shop in King Street in the Ferry before eventually moving on to deliveries.
“It keeps you fit and interested even in the kind of conditions we had this year. Everyone turned up though. The young lads are great, they’ve got a real work ethic and are just as keen as us old guys!
“I more or less walked my complete round there was a lot of trudging about but it’s just in the psyche to ensure people get their papers. It’s mostly older people who have home deliveries and it means a lot to them.”
Both Alan and Rab had paper rounds as youngsters. Grove Academy student Ryan Nicoll (14) followed in their footsteps after hearing about the opportunity from friends and literally got on his bike to get to his snowbound clients, including sheltered housing residents in the area.
His friend and fellow Grove pupil Paul Yuile used his mountain bike particularly appropriate, as he builds bikes and initially started his paper round to make a bit of cash to support his hobby.
“The earliest I was up was about 5.20am and I had to do a bit on foot when it was too difficult to keep the bike going. It was very hard to get through the snow but the boss was very supportive and we all helped each other out.
“It was great to talk to people on the street and they were very generous with their Christmas tips and cards, too, which was nice. They were really pleased to see us!”
On the other side of the service, Ferry customer Nan MacDougall signed up for home delivery over a year ago when illness prevented her from getting out and about for a while.
She said, “It made a real difference to me and to other people, I know. The delivery was first class, a godsend in many ways. It kept me in the picture about what was happening and what was going on round about when none of us could get out much.
“I’m very grateful for all the efforts and especially of my young delivery lad, Joseph. Every day the paper came right through the letter box. It never even got wet!”Congratulations and thanks go to all those across Courier country who braved the harshest of winter conditions to deliver The Courier to our readers The editor.