Horsham milkmen say goodbye after 35 years

With 70 years of service combined, Peter Lashwood and Harry Steere have both worked for Dairy Crest since 1980 and have been friendly faces in the communities they serve for decades.

Looking back on his service, Peter said it was the community that made the job all the more enjoyable: “I’m still in the community, they’ve become friends more than customers.

“I have been friends with a family for four generations, I’ve served them for years.

“If you enjoy what you do, it’s half the battle.”

Harry said there were longer milk rounds when they first started and the community was never too far away from help, offering simple pleasures such as tea or coffee.

He said: “I won’t miss the early starts but I will miss being out in the open air so much.

“After a career spanning time as a motor engineer and in retail, I can honestly say being a milkman has been my favourite job and I shall miss both my customers and colleagues.

“The winters were colder than they are now, once there were a lot of people trying to get a three wheeler van through 1.5 inches of snow.”

Both milkmen worked seven days a week including Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Harry and Peter, who have both driven a total of 34,000 miles, both said they were apprehensive about their retirement and will miss the exercise the job offered them.

Depot manager, David Ginlay, said: “The Horsham depot team will really miss this pair - their sense of humour, commitment to the job and their customers and their loyalty to their colleagues.

“We wish them well but can reassure their customers that their replacement Mel Small is looking forward to meeting them and taking over the milk-baton.

“Mel has over ten years’ experience with milk&more and knows the town and area well.”

Between them, Peter and Harry have delivered around ten million pints of milk.

They have walked many thousands of miles and have seen around 20,000 sunrises during their working day.

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