Our recent rally for the future for our post office at Seddlescombe Village Store and Post Office in East Sussex, which was part of National Post Office week, was just the beginning of a campaign that must remain in politicians' minds as we approach the local elections.

With the future of 2,500 Post Office branches hanging in the balance, we cannot see this issue sidelined until after the local elections - we must make it a key election issue. It may be awkward for the Government, but we are fighting for the heart of our communities and will make sure their feelings are represented.

The value of a post office to a community cannot be measured using a purely financial scale, and to propose closure on this basis misses the point. Post offices are the social heart of many communities, and without them thousands of people, including many elderly and disabled, would be increasingly isolated.

The Government's consultation on post offices closes on March 8, but as a local issue this will continue to be a priority and we will keep the pressure on until a common sense plan is secured.

  • Michelle Nudds, regional director, Countryside Alliance, Arundel