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MAX Eden, 14, who is leading the campaign.
MAX Eden, 14, who is leading the campaign.
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School boy spearheads post protest


12/12/2007

THE community hero leading a campaign to save Fulshaw Post Office has been rumbled - he’s a 14 year-old school boy!

Max Eden told everyone he was 19 because he didn’t think people would take him seriously.

But Max, who has collected nearly 2,000 signatures and secured the support of MP George Osborne, this week revealed his true age.

While most teenagers can be found playing on their X-Box or watching TV, Max dedicates his spare time rallying support by going door-to-door delivering leaflets and collecting signatures.

Max, who lives in Chapel Lane, single handedly launched the campaign when he heard Fulshaw Post Office was under threat.

The St Ambrose pupil explained: "I said I was 19 because I didn’t think people would take me seriously.

"But it’s funny because I was doing some photocopying in the shop the other day and I overheard someone talking about ‘the man who’s campaigning against the closure’, so I turned round and handed them a petition to sign."

And the youngster is confident he can get the 2000 signatures needed for the Post Office Ltd to reconsider closing the post office before the December 17 deadline.

By the start of this week the petition totalled 1880 signatures and Max has received countless letters of support from people across the community.

He has also secured a visit from local MP George Osborne, right, who will pledge his support in person at the post office tomorrow, Friday December 14.

Max said: "I’m doing it for the community.

"There are plenty of pensioners who use the post office and they will struggle to get down to the nearest one in Tesco.

"No one wants to be the one to start it but they all want to save it so I decided I was going to do it.

"It’s not a quiet country post office, it’s a packed one."

After revealing his true age, Max won’t be shying away from the public anymore and will give a speech in front of Mr Osborne and protesting residents on Friday.

He said: "I said I was going to get 2,000 signatures and I think I’m going to.

"I want as many people as possible to come along on Friday so we can show Mr Osborne how serious we are.

"I’d like to thank all the shops that have supported me and had the petitions."

Proud dad David Eden who owns the post office building, said: "It was a bit of a surprise when Max said what he was going to do.

"I didn’t know anything about it. He just came home and decided he was going to do it. He had printed off 200 leaflets and rung the paper before I had got home.

"It’s a busy post office. It was so busy I had to replace the wooden floor because I was worried people queuing might fall through."

But Max’s entrepreneurial ability and organisational skills haven’t shocked family members, who are accustomed to his enthusiasm having seen him tackle many projects beyond his years.

The year ten pupil has already shown a good head for business, buying and selling car parts for classic MGs via his own website for the last four years.

The deadline for signing the petition is Monday, December 17.

Petitions will also be available to sign at the post office on Friday.


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Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   I would just like to thank everyone who has suported my campaign and I hop we can SAVE it.

Catch up with all chapel lane community news and plans at http://maxeden.tripod.com/local
Maxwell Eden, Wilmslow
4/01/2008 at 15:47
   As the subpostmaster at Fulshaw Post Office for the last 10 years, I would think that I am a little more qualified to speak about the business than Maxwell Eden who was 4 years old when I took over.Business has drastically reduced in the last few years,due to the internet,telephone banking,direct debits,emails etc.This is the busiest time of the year for us, but come January business will be back to normal.Maxwell states that the post office is "a packed one".Does he sit behind the counter all day?His father states that it was so busy that he had to replace the wooden floor.I might add that it was replaced because it was rotten, and he was so worried about people falling throught it, that it took him 2 years to replace it,and only after I withheld his rent. As you are probably aware,I am totally in favour of the closure of the post office,on a purely personal level,as it has been for sale for over 2 years with no interest.When I have spoken to my customers and told them the facts,they have been in agreement with me and said that they wouldn't have signed the petitions if they had known the full story.There are always 2 side to a story. In total I have worked for the Post Office for 30 years,making many friends and serving millions of customers in that time. It is very sad for the community,when a post office closes,but unfortunately,the world is becoming an evermore hi-tec place which has a great impact on post office business.No person would stand by and watch as his investment went down the drain.
Robert Brown
13/12/2007 at 17:17
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