A St Albans postman is set to offer a monthly treat to residents throughout 2021 by starring in his own charity calender.

Bricket Wood’s much-loved postman, Mike Izzard, who lives in Hatfield, will be helping to raise vital funds for the charity Dementia UK.

Mike said his father was diagnosed with the condition last year: “It was extremely upsetting as my dad was taken from the family home never to return. He was moved into a residential care home and I have been unable to visit him due to COVID-19 restrictions.”

The 47-year-old wanted to do something pro-active and positive so decided to fundraise for the national charity.

Mike was supported by a team of women in Bricket Wood who wanted to make his idea of a calender a reality.

Caron Quine said: “Mike is a fantastic asset to our village. He’s kind, helpful and he goes out of his way as a postie, so we wanted to help him and show support at such a distressing time.”

The photos were taken by photographer, Wendy Gill, who is also from Bricket Wood. It includes photos from around the village and at ‘Nast Hyde Halt’, a derelict train station that Mike has lovingly restored for his local community in Hatfield. The calendar costs £10 and all proceeds will go to Dementia UK. To purchase a ‘Mike on a Mission’ calendar contact Mike directly on Facebook Messenger.

Availability is limited as there have been many pre-orders but Mike and his team hope to get another batch of calendars printed as they want to raise as much as they can for the charity which provides specialist dementia support for families through its Admiral Nurse service.

When things get difficult for people with dementia and their families, Admiral Nurses work alongside them, giving the compassionate one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions that can be difficult to find elsewhere. They help families live more positively with dementia in the present, and to face challenges with more confidence and less fear.