In villages such as Shenley, a post office can have the same significance at the heart of a community as a pub or a place of worship.

It is somewhere residents are able to chat with their neighbours or discuss local issues, making it more than just a business.If any of the rural post offices in the Hertsmere area are shut down, it will be a disaster for residents, with the elderly likely to be the worst affected.With thousands set to shut across the country, people need to prepare themselves for a lengthy battle to save their post offices, particularly during the public consultation on closures in June.