04 Jul 2023
A milkman at the heart of the St Albans community he serves is to be presented with a staggering £15k raised by grateful customers on the occasion of his retirement.
Michael Tutton MBE, also known as ‘Mick the Milk’, will receive the donation at a special event hosted by the Portland Arms on Saturday afternoon.
Mick delivered milk, eggs and other groceries to 28 streets in St Albans for more than 40 years until his electric milk float broke down and proved beyond repair
During this time he was also seen as the community’s unofficial security guard, social worker, football pundit and cheerleader, and in 1999 was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his service to the community, having run in the St Albans Half Marathon for many years, raising thousands of pounds for charity.
Remarkably, Mick never learned to drive a car – which meant he had to set out, often on foot, from his home in Welwyn Garden City in the early hours every morning to pick up his electric float and deliver his round in St Albans on time.
He worked mainly in St Albans Conservation Area, including Spicer Street to the north, St Michael’s Village and Camlet Way to the south, and Verulam Road and Fishpool Street to the east and west. Mick is known to have gone out of his way to deliver to customers moving elsewhere in St Albans, as far afield as Sandpit Lane and the Verulam Estate.
Event organiser Kate Crick, who lives in Gonnerston, said: “Mick has been an integral part of our community, working through the night in all weathers to deliver day in, day out to our doorsteps.
“But he was so much more than our milkman. He looked out for people, especially the elderly, and became a family friend to many of us. Our children have grown up knowing and loving him, and our dogs too. Mick always carried some doggie treats – they got so excited when they saw his float coming down the road.
“When we started this collection, we couldn’t have dreamed we would raise more than £15,000 for our dear friend Mick.
“The huge size of the collection is testament to the love and regard in which Mick was held by the residents of the streets he served.”
As well as a giant-size cheque for £15,282, Mick will be presented on the day with an electronic card signed by more than 100 residents.
