Real Lives: Stamp of approval for Willie's first-class service

Born and brought up in Penicuik, Mr McGinley, 48, joined the Post Office on leaving Penicuik High School.

He started work at the philatelic bureau, where he helped to handle orders for newly issued stamps for collectors all over the world.

"I was straight out of school and I was just looking for a job, I didn't have any particular interest in stamp collecting, so it was a totally new world for me," he said.

After two years there he moved to the busy city centre counter within the post office in Frederick Street.

"It was an initiation but everything else was a piece of cake after that," he said.

During the next few years he also did relief counter work at numerous post offices across the Lothians, including North Berwick, Wester Hailes and Penicuik.

He was transferred to the coin centre in Calton Road, Edinburgh, before moving to the head office where he became a trouble-shooter, going round offices making sure everything was operating well. He then became a training officer for the next generation of sub-postmasters.

After 13 years, a major reorganisation of the Post Office saw him take voluntary early retirement.

It was then he took over the day-to-day running of Penicuik Post Office and has spent the last 17 years as the town's sub-postmaster.

"Having been born and raised here it was almost like it was meant to be," he said.

"It has changed a lot over the time I have been here, and there is no question we get less people in, as so many things can be done in other places now.

"People here still regard the Post Office as a vital service though, and it is still at the heart of the community, which is very encouraging."

Mr McGinley married his wife Morag, who works at the Royal Blind School, in 1996, and the couple have two children, Olivia, 12, a pupil at Penicuik High School, and five-year-old Max, who starts at Cornbank Primary after the summer.

Away from the postal service, Mr McGinley said his first love was football.

The former player had a spell with Dunfermline Athletic under then-manager Jim Leishman.

And when Penicuik Athletic reformed in 2002 he was the man who put together a team, which under his guidance, would go on to achieve promotion and cup success.

"It was really difficult because we were starting totally from scratch, but we managed to get a good group of players together," he said.

"My record wasn't bad. I was there six years, and over that time we got promoted, and we won the League Cup in 2003-4.

"It was great, but I had to give it up because of other commitments."

He is still involved in football, as the current coach for Eskmills Boys' Club Under-eights.

He was presented with his long-service award by Keith Scott, Post Office Limited manager, and admitted he couldn't believe it had been so long.

"I think the time has passed so quickly because I enjoy it so much," he said.