Plymouth milkman Steve Cornew has been a lifeline to many local residents over the last year as he has continued, come rain or shine, to deliver milk and other vital groceries to his customers.
The health crisis, along with the increased demand for environmentally-friendly products, has meant Steve now has more customers than ever before. As a result, he delivers over 3,000 pints of milk a week, in the iconic glass bottles – which are themselves reused up to 25 times.
A milkman for over 40 years, Steve is a trusted figure in the community and often acts as the ‘eyes and ears’ of his rounds in areas such as Hartley Vale and North Prospect as he delivers to customers through the night and into the early morning.
Over the years, Steve has helped a customer who has locked themselves out from their house, helped catch wanted criminals and has gone above and beyond his role in so many ways – all while managing a local football team and winning a Pride of Plymouth award in 2014.
Steve said:
“It makes me incredibly proud that myself and the team at Milk & More’s Plymouth Fulfilment Centre have been able to play a part in feeding the residents of Plymouth. Delivering customers their milk and grocery products to their doorstep has always been my number one priority, but it has never been more vital than now.”
Steve, who is 60, completes over 1,440 deliveries a week and since the third lockdown began his product sales have risen by over 300% as customers took advantage of the additional offerings that Milk & More deliver
Steve decided to become a milkman after longing for a job that allowed him to be a part of the community, but also fitted in well with his own family life
Steve’s favourite part of the job is working outside, and he has enjoyed seeing how the role of the milkman and milkwoman has evolved over the years.
STEVE’S HERO STORIES
The eyes and ears of the community
Steve was on his round one night when he noticed two suspicious men checking cars in the area that he was delivering in. Steve noticed something wasn’t right, so he drove past them to keep an eye and then when out of sight, Steve phoned the police – within a couple of minutes the police arrived and arrested the men. Later that day, the police officers phoned Steve to take a statement and informed him that one of the men was a wanted criminal, so they were very grateful to Steve for being the ‘eyes and ears’ of the community and taking the time to phone them.
Rescuing locked out customers
One day Steve was on his round and he noticed a regular customer who was looking very anxious, standing outside of her house. From speaking to the customer, Steve found out she had locked herself out of her house and was beginning to become increasingly worried.
Steve relaxed the customer and said he would help her find a way back in, and then noticed an upstairs bedroom was open. After obtaining a ladder from a neighbour, Steve climbed up and went through the window. He was able to open the front door from inside and after making sure the customer was okay and settled, Steve carried on delivering the rest of his round.
