Mitch: Above and Beyond His Post

By Sebastian Old

Mitch reached for the dial and tuned into the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2. An article on the homeless crisis was being discussed and the damning report struck something inside him. It was decided; he was going to give something back to the community. This moment with the radio spurred him on to volunteer for The Bus Shelter MK.

Mitch, 60, is a self professed "old boy" from Great Holm, Milton Keynes. After working as a designer in the automotive industry, he grew tired of commuting to work and unhappy with office life. The monotony of long journeys and churning out designs had taken its toll. He traded in his office job, became a postman in his native Milton Keynes and his life is all the richer for it.

"I’m comfortable. I’ve got a family, kids; I’m happy." Mitch says.

Once Mitch has done his rounds, he puts time aside each week to visit the guests on our bus, with its 10 person capacity, to chat and get to know them. He helps out where possible and walks their dogs.

"It’s minor, really. But, I think if everybody did their little bit it would go a long way." He explains

Mitch understands the importance of regular interaction, of feeling welcome and part of something; a community. Talk is easy, but not necessarily cheap. His friendly, non-judgemental visits go a long way towards redeveloping people's self-worth. Small, everyday conversations help lay the foundations towards redeveloping self-worth and rebuilding lives. These rare moments with cups of tea when our guests return from work can’t be understated.

Walking the dogs may seem trivial, but there is more to it. It provides peace of mind for our guests so they can go to work knowing their animals are safe, happy and exercised.

Also, one of our guests suffers from a chronic spinal issue. His disability sometimes prevents him from walking his dogs. As a homeless person, an animal’s companionship can mean everything. For him, Mitch’s small acts of kindness are no doubt invaluable. When this guest’s back pain is particularly bad, when he is debilitated and bedbound, Mitch’s walks provide peace of mind and security. These dog walks could be the difference between keeping the pets and putting them up for adoption.

His little deeds are an almighty force for good and change peoples lives for the better. It is the combination of small acts like these help our guests back to their feet with a job and a home of their own.

Mitch spends a lot of his time on his feet as a postman. But, his fondness for the outdoors goes beyond his profession. He cycled to Paris from England, Lands End to John O’Groats twice with his sons and 170 miles in one day with his youngest child. He rowed 85 miles down River Wye in a kayak and went “wild camping”. He brought his tent, food and the bare essentials stashed in the cubby-hole of his kayak and hit the river. He’s a man with a sense of adventure.

His love affair with nature and the great outdoors encouraged him to volunteer prior to The Bus Shelter MK. He was a scout leader and is now the scouts Chair. Mitch has a strong sense of community and an innate understanding of its importance.

"It’s nice to be involved in the community. Everyone needs company. It must feel disheartening to them at the shelter... to not feel involved. A chat goes a long way. That’s why I’m doing it." He says.

Mitch might consider himself an old boy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He's an outdoorsman who grabs life by the collar. Yet, he understands life isn’t always smooth sailing and goes out of his way to better the lives of others.

On behalf of everyone at The Bus Shelter MK, cheers Mitch.