Gold Medalists

Olympic fever has hit the country big time, and the excitement is really starting to build now. We will all be looking for something special to commemorate the occasion. T-shirts, mugs, pens, the list is almost endless. However, if you are looking for something extra special that you can pass on to the grandkids, then how about special edition stamps.

Royal Mail has always commemorated the London Olympic Games by issuing Olympic stamps. Well, except for 1908 that is when they couldn't as the only image allowed on a stamp then was that of the reigning monarch. For London 2012 they have pulled out all the stops and along with the products and stamps issues you would expect (welcome to the games etc) they have come up with an additional and rather special idea, and one that is unique in the history of the Games.

Every gold medal team Great Britain wins will be commemorated with a specially designed stamp. What’s really special about it though is that it will for the first time feature a shot of the athlete or team in action on their way to winning that gold medal. So, Royal Mail’s team of picture editors, graphic designers, etc, will have to be ready to swing into action at any chance of gold being won by team GB. Clearly they are not going to get much sleep for the duration of the games.

But wait there’s more …. the gold medal stamps will be on sale at 500 selected UK Post Offices the day after the medal was won. What’s even more exciting (are you sitting down?) many of these 500 stores will be open on during the Games on a Sunday … for the first time ever!!!

Don’t panic If one of the 500 stores is not near you, the stamps will reach a further 4,500 Post Offices throughout the games.

And not forgetting those totally inspiring Para Olympians, Royal Mail are again going for another first. They will be the first postal administration in a host country to issue a set of stamps to celebrate the start of the Paralympic games on 29 August.

All in all an Olympian commitment by Royal Mail.




This is a sponsored post.

Victorian Pillarbox

On Saturday I went to an open day at the Postal Museum in Debden, on the central line. Yes, another of those quaint out of the way museums run mainly by enthusiastic volunteers, that open on "selected dates throughout the year". What a treasure trove, stamp machines, telegram desks, vehicles galore, its own unique underground mail rail complete with engine, and the most spectacular collection of Victorian pillar boxes.

The first pillar boxes were introduced as a trial in 1852 in the Channel Islands, seemingly because this was where Anthony Trollope world famous Post Office employee (later to become a world famous novelist) recommended they do it there. The following year they were popping up all over the UK in a variety of sizes, shapes and colours. However, the Victorian Postal service, being the lovers of order that they were, decreed in 1859 that they would all be the same shape and colour (red only) and would be available in just two sizes. Liverpool was not happy about this and argued successfully that they needed a bigger version. This came to be known as the Liverpool special.

Skywatch Friday - Mt Pleasant

The Royal mail sorting centre in Mt Pleasant isn't the prettiest of places, however a couple of weeks ago the sky momentarily changed that and painted the whole area with beautiful pinks and blues.

See what other skywatchers are presenting today

Where's My Mail?

Royal Mail has been on various levels of strikes for months now. So far our household has not received birthday presents, Internet purchases, family mail, invitations and that is what we know about.
Royal Mail says we are unlikely to ever receive them. Why is this acceptable?
Disputes will occur from time to time between enterprises and their workers. Most countries in the world can resolve their issues.
Here the parties appear to just become more firmly entrenched in their views neither side willing or able to move on.
So lets ditch Royal Mail (both sides) and have alternative mail delivery.

According to news reports that is what some companies are electing to do.
A report here from the Guardian.
Another here from the Royal Evening Standard.

So if you are planning on sending me a Xmas card this year maybe you should send it electronically!
Or maybe we can get Winston to train all the pigeons here to be useful.