People of power

Rather than accepting their fate when the former branch was closed down last year, residents joined forces with local politicians to open their own sub-office and operate it as a charity venture. Any profits will be ploughed back into the local area.

With the help of 10,000 from Sheffield Council, and additional funds generated by Darnall Forum, this new post office threw open its doors yesterday to the public.

We wish it well. For, while this business model has been successfully applied to rural areas in the past, it is reportedly the first time that a post office has been reopened in an urban area – thereby offering hope to those other city suburbs where services have been withdrawn.

More fundamentally, the Darnall campaigners have shown what is possible when a "can do" attitude prevails. In short, they have shown that residents have it within their power, and scope, to run such services on a community basis – provided that they have the willpower, determination and foresight.