Watford's Local Hero.

The following is based on an article from the Watford Observer.

On July 22nd 1998 Mr. Arthur “Wag” Bowerman received the M.B.E. for his services to Oxhey Chapel and the Churches Conservation Trust and was later honoured by the Watford Observer as a local hero.

Born in 1916, “Wag” started his working life with Pearl Insurance where he worked for 23 years.  He then joined the Post Office in 1957 as a postman, rose to become an instructor at the Watford training school and retired in 1978.  He says that the fellowship of colleagues made it the happiest days of his life.

Oxhey Chapel

Following the sad death of his wife just a year after he retired he turned to his local community as a volunteer.   As well as being a custodian of Oxhey Chapel he found time to spend 2 days a week at the South Oxhey Oxfam shop, to be a supported of the Parkinson’s Disease Society, to be a server at All Saints Church, to collect for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, to volunteer at a drop in centre for the unemployed and also to be the local area for Christian Aid.

No wonder the Watford Observer felt moved to give him their local hero award and treat him to a meal for two at a local hotel.  “I just hope that postmen and women now are as happy as I was in the service”, he said.

Post-script :  Mr. Bowerman passed away in 2004.