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Bill Nighy backs campaign to save local post office

Getty Images Actor Bill Nighy wears a smart navy pinstripe suit and bold black glasses on the red carpet at the London Film FestivalGetty Images
Hollywood actor Bill Nighy is best known for his roles in Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise

Hollywood actor Bill Nighy is supporting a campaign to save a community post office in West Sussex.

The star is set to take part in a Q&A event raising money to save the post office in Felpham, near Bognor Regis, which is at risk of closure.

Residents set up a community interest company (CIC) to raise money to buy the site when the current sub-postmaster announced plans to leave.

The Friends of Felpham CIC said it wanted to protect the "vital" asset as no new buyer had yet come forward.

Mike Harding A woman with short purple hair poses outside the white brick post office building in Felpham in a dark hooded parka style coatMike Harding
Drama writer and former actress Lizzie Mickery from the Friends of Felpham CIC described the post office as "vital" for the community

So far the CIC said it had raised more than £154,000 towards buying the building in Felpham Road.

Drama writer and former actress Lizzie Mickery, from the Friends of Felpham CIC, said: "It's the beating heart of the village.

"It's vital for people, local tradespeople use it for banking and with banks closing and bus routes being cut we're trying to raise the money to buy it and extend its services."

She said Mr Nighy had offered to take part in a fundraising event for the cause while the pair were working on a TV drama together.

Ms Mickery said: "I just happened to mention the cause and with no prompting from me whatsoever he said 'I'll come'."

Google A Google maps image of Felpham Post Office, a white building displaying red Post Office signs on the corner of a junction Google
The post office in Felpham Road in Felpham near Bognor Regis is at risk of closure

The group said it wanted to raise between £800k and £1m to buy the post office, retain existing staff and extend opening times and expand services to include a community hub.

The CIC said it hopes to benefit from applying for the second round of funding for the Community Ownership Fund, at the end of May.

The fund comes from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

Mr Nighy's event is to take place at the St Mary's Centre in Felpham on 14 May.

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