A POSTMASTER and his wife who are at the heart of their community have been recognised for their more than 41-year service to Warrington.

Kuldeep Dhillon and his wife Balbir Kaur, of Locking Stumps, received one of the King’s official birthday honours in the form of the British Empire Medal.

The couple, who are both active members of Warrington’s Sikh community, received their medals at a special ceremony at Tatton Old Hall in Knutsford.

During the pandemic, they were part of a team of eight people from their Sikh temple who fundraised to buy ingredients to make nutritious meals that they then served to frontline NHS staff at Warrington and Halton hospitals.

The couple also support foodbanks in the area by supplying them with goods from their store.

Furthermore, the customer loyalty scheme at their Nisa store on Glover Road, Birchwood, has raised around £7,000 for local worthy causes, including nearby schools, football teams and youth clubs.

In addition, Kuldeep and Balbir have been rewarded with an invitation to attend a royal party at Windsor Castle.

In his earlier life, Kuldeep spent six months working in a laboratory following his graduation as a microbiologist.

Kuldeep Dhillon and his wife Balbir Kaur, of Locking Stumps, after receiving their BEM honours

Kuldeep Dhillon and his wife Balbir Kaur, of Locking Stumps, after receiving their BEM honours

However, he found that this lifestyle did not quite suit him. He found working in the lab lonely and wanted to be around people instead.

This revelation triggered a career change – a decision for which his community will be forever grateful.

Asked about receiving recognition for his service, Kuldeep said: ‘I really love being a postmaster and running my shop because of the interaction with people.

“I have earned my living from this community for the past 41 years, so I like to give something back to my community to thank them.”

If Kuldeep set out to ‘give something back’ to his community, it is resoundingly clear that he has more than achieved that, and Kuldeep suggests he is not going to stop any time soon.

He added: “People ask me when I am going to retire, but I have no plans to retire. I love my work, serving people and having a chat and a laugh with customers.’

Kuldeep and Balbir’s generosity and kindness embodies the very best of our town, and their compassion should be an inspiration and example to all.

It is quite right that they have finally been rewarded for the amazing work they do each and every day to serve their local community.