Milton Keynes Post Office decorated to celebrate Queen's Jubilee

Staff were busy making plans to decorate their branch for the Jubilee when the news of MK’s city status was announced last week.

They promptly decided to have a double celebration to mark both milestones.

Manager of the Midsummer Boulevard branch Deborah Penwarne said: “We now have two reasons to celebrate. The Queen is an amazing person. She is a great role model for this country. We are proud to have been given city status to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”

Deborah has lived in the area since birth and she has seen the area completely transformed. Work start to build Milton Keynes not long after she was born. A brand-new

town was needed to help relieve housing congestion in London and the name Milton Keynes was taken from that of an existing village.

She said: “I remember as a child we would cycle to see the town of Milton Keynes being built. It was designed as a city and many local people would always talk about going to the city centre to go to the shops as they always felt that it was a city. Many people have been surprised to hear that it was not already a city. We are proud that it is now.

“We have the Open University, not a university. We don’t have a Cathedral made from bricks and mortar, but we do have a unique Tree Cathedral suitable for all denominations, which I think is better.”

Deborah started as a clerk at Milton Keynes Post Office in September 1982 and for the vast majority of her nearly 40 years’ career with Post Office, has been based at Milton Keynes Post Office. The branch has moved three times during her time.

She and her colleagues have bedecked the branch with bunting and their efforts are bringing a smile to customers’ faces and resulting in chats about the Platinum Jubilee and Milton Keynes’ new city status, she said.

"People are getting excited about all the Jubilee celebrations. We are proud that Milton Keynes has become a city.”