The announcement in November of which branches were proposed for closure led to a period of uncertainty for many communities.

The County Times and Horsham District Council joined forces to campaign to save them, local residents staged protests and people wrote in their hundreds to express their concerns to the Post Office.

Just a few weeks ago we learnt that four Horsham branches had been granted a temporary stay of execution but other branches were confirmed as closing.

Warnham in particular was devastated by the news. The community had come together magnificently to fight to save their post office.

It's great that people are united in times like this but the letters I have received over recent months have demonstrated that it's individuals who suffer the most.

Yes, people might live within three miles of Broadbridge Heath but some will find it physically impossible to jump on the bus or pop into town. How will they access the services that we all rely upon?

The people that will suffer are the elderly, the disabled, those with mobility problems, people who care for others and those with absolutely no support to enable them to access alternative services.

They are, in short, the most vulnerable people in our communities and the closure of their local post office will only increase their detachment from society – they will feel even more excluded.

And that's why I raised this crucial issue during Duchy of Lancaster Questions in the House of Commons last week.

I asked whether these Ministers, who have responsibility for social exclusion, were consulted on the effect post office closures would have on so many people's daily lives?

If they weren't consulted, what's the point of them?

If they were consulted, how did they make such a hash of it? How can they stand back and watch so many people become just that bit more isolated and cut off from a society that many of us take for granted?
Answer? None. But we're still keeping the pressure up.

PS. I've been rash enough to commit to abseil from the top of Crawley Hospital in a fortnight, to raise money for the hospital radio. If anyone is willing to sponsor me, please email me at francismaudemp @parliament.uk.