Ephraim Kishon (Israel 2016)

Budapest, Hungary – Tel-Aviv, Israel, 1924–2005

isr_kishonThe issue date is February 9, 2016.

Ephraim Kishon was an author, satirist, journalist, playwright, screenwriter, film and theater director and 2002 Israel Prize recipient. He is considered to be one of the greatest Israeli satirists of all time.

Kishon, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, immigrated to Israel in 1949 and within just a few months learned to speak Hebrew fluently. His first play in Hebrew, “Shmo Holech Lefanav” (His Reputation Precedes Him) was staged by Habima three years after his arrival.

Kishon wrote more than 50 books in Hebrew, which were translated into 37 different languages. Over 45 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide and he is considered to be the most widely sold and translated Israeli author in the world.

Kishon wrote about simple people and their ordinary problems, but also addressed social and political issues. He exposed the tangled web of the bureaucracy and focused on the gaps between different sectors of the population, all from a perspective of love for the country and involvement in the national experience.

Kishon wrote some 20 plays, which achieved global success. Among some of the most renowned were “HaKetubbah” (The Jewish Marriage Certificate), ”Hu VeHi” (Him and Her), ”Ho, Ho Yulia” (Oh, oh Juliet) and more. His plays have been translated into many languages and continue to be performed today on stages around the world.

Kishon was also among the leading figures in Israeli cinema. His films, including ”Sallah Shabati”, ”HaShoter Azoulay” (The Policeman), ”Ta’alat Blaumlich” (The Big Dig) and more, were nominated for Oscars and won three Golden Globe awards as well as many other international awards.

Kishon elevated humor to an art form. His diverse and astute works reflect the diversity of Israeli society and successfully get across Israeli viewpoints to a wide audience of readers throughout the world.

New generations continue to be brought up on Kishon’s works, which remain just as relevant and sharp today as when they were written. These works are an Israeli cultural asset and millions of readers around the world continue to both laugh and cry as they enjoy them.

Description of the Stamp and the First Day Cover
The stamp was designed by Renana Kishon and Pini Hamou based on a photograph by Isolde Ohlbaum ©.

The stamp features the titles of articles, books, plays and screenplays by Ephraim Kishon. The stamp tab features Ephraim Kishon’s handwriting and signature.

The First Day Cover displays 12 of the numerous Hebrew phrases coined by Ephraim Kishon. With thanks to Ephraim Kishon’s cultural estate.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards (UK 2016)

[press release]
ROYAL MAIL SUPPORTS DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD’S DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY 2016

  • Royal Mail’s limited edition Commemorative Sheet of stamps goes on sale on 12 January 2016 to celebrate The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s Diamond Anniversary year
  • The sheet features images over six decades since the scheme was founded in 1956 by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
  • The sheet is limited to an edition of 7,500 and each one is numbered
  • Royal Mail is also supporting the DofE Award 60th anniversary as a Diamond Partner by encouraging its employees to take part in a personal Diamond Challenge in 2016
  • The commemorative sheet is priced at £14.95 and is available online at
    www.royalmail.com/dofe or by calling 08457 641 641

uk_dukeawardRoyal Mail’s limited edition The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s Diamond Anniversary Commemorative Sheet goes on sale on 12 January 2016 celebrating 60 years since the scheme was first launched, which is the world’s leading youth achievement award.

The images on the sheet alongside each First Class stamp feature DofE candidates and founders at work and enjoying outdoor pursuits over six decades of its existence, helping young people reach their full potential. The sheet is limited to an edition of 7,500 and each is serially numbered.

Royal Mail is also marking the 60th anniversary year as a Diamond Partner by encouraging employees of all ages to get involved and complete a Diamond Challenge of their own to raise money for the charity. Royal Mail will fund the enrolment fee for every Royal Mail entry.

Royal Mail has enabled many of its apprentices to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. For the 60th anniversary, Royal Mail will also be opening its doors for more employees of all ages to take part and experience the challenges of DofE in a special Diamond Challenge 2016.

Royal Mail’s Chief Operations Officer, Sue Whalley, added: “It is really encouraging to see our continuing commitment to supporting The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme within our business. I hope many more of our people will get involved with the Diamond Challenge this year and dare to set themselves a challenge to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the scheme.”

Peter Westgarth, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award said: “In our 60th year we are grateful to Royal Mail not only for marking the occasion with this wonderful commemorative stamp sheet, but for their enduring support of the aims of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Helping young people achieve a greater goal in life is not only rewarding in itself, but also, when the DofE is run in a business setting, represents an investment in the people that work for those organisations. This valuable support, that Royal Mail gives to its apprentices, is ultimately of benefit to their customers and communities they serve, whilst also helping the apprentices themselves to nurture and grow within the company and develop important work-ready skills.”

Darren Borthwick, Royal Mail DofE Apprentice Manager, said: “We are proud to support The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, to improve the learning and careers of our young apprentices and to help celebrate its Diamond Anniversary year 2016.
“We hope that by showing our commitment to the programme it will highlight the excellent work that the Awards scheme offers to young people in the wider workplace and encourage more potential recruits to join the scheme.”

Sam Bontempo, 19, from South Wales, a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award apprentice at Royal Mail, said: “I am looking forward to a career with Royal Mail and working towards a Gold Award with The Duke of Edinburgh’s scheme, at the same time, is an added bonus. I didn’t think I would get the chance to follow this challenge, but Royal Mail has made it possible.”

The commemorative sheet is priced at £14.95 and is available online at www.royalmail.com/dofe or by calling 08457 641 641

The ten Duke of Edinburgh Diamond Anniversary commemorative stamp labels are as follows:

HRH WITH THE FIRST DIRECTORS
Sir John (later Lord) Hunt (second left, back row), who had led the successful British Mount Everest expedition in 1953, was the first director of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

FIRST GOLD AWARDS
In 1958, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh presented the first Gold Awards to a group of young people at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

PROGRAMME LAUNCHED FOR WOMEN
Two years after The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for Boys was launched, a similar programme was established for girls. In 1969, the two programmes came together as one.

HRH MEETS YOUNG PEOPLE
HRH meets Sea Cadets learning rope skills and boating for their DofE in the late 1970s.

PRINCE EDWARD GETS GOLD
In 1986, HRH The Prince Edward received his Gold Award. He is a trustee of the DofE and chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation.

VOLUNTEERING
From helping people in need to protecting the environment, the Volunteering section of a DofE programme is about making a difference to other people’s lives.

PHYSICAL
In this section, young people spend time developing skills in their favourite sport or learning a new activity that will improve their health and fitness.

SKILLS
The Skills section of a DofE programme helps young people to nurture their interests and talents, such as cooking, music and web design, and to gain valuable skills for the future.

EXPEDITION
As part of a small team, young people plan and complete an adventurous journey in the great outdoors – by bike, boat, canoe, foot, horse or wheelchair.

RESIDENTIAL
Gold DofE participants complete an additional Residential section over five days, taking part in a shared activity with new people, either in the UK or overseas.
Technical Details:

Number of stamps: 10 x 1st Class Union Flag stamp based on an original design by Dick Davies, featuring an illustration by Anton Morris.
Pack and Commemorative Sheet design: Jack Renwick Studio Ltd
Words: Vicky Prior
Illustrations: Lisa Crone
Acknowledgements: stamp sheet – all images © The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, except map of the Lake District © OS Data; backing card – all images © The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, except photo of Kurt Hahn © Thurston Hopkins/Stringer/Getty Images; map of the Lake District (on the front) © OS Data; 1950s map (on the rear) © National Library of Scotland
Sheet Format: A4
Stamp Format: Portrait
Stamp Size: 20mm x 24mm
Printer: International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: Die – cut simulated
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: Self-adhesive

Queen Elizabeth II (Canada 2016)

can_fashionqueen[press release]
New stamp features British fashion photographer’s celebrated portrait capturing Queen’s ‘very kind eyes’
OTTAWA, Jan. 11, 2016 /CNW/ – A black-and-white portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II taken by legendary British fashion photographer David Bailey adorns the latest in a long line of Canadian stamps honouring The Queen.

The photo, taken at Buckingham Palace in 2014 to mark The Queen’s 88th birthday, shows Her Majesty in a dress chosen by Angela Kelly, her personal assistant and senior dresser. The Queen is wearing pearls and smiling easily. In his portrait, Bailey successfully homed in on what he described as The Queen’s “very kind eyes” and “mischievous glint.”

Queen Elizabeth II has been immortalized by many of the greatest photographers in the 20th and 21st centuries. She has been featured on more than 60 stamps issued by Canada Post.

Also issued today are five definitive stamps featuring Canadian UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The stamps feature images of Old Town Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; SGang Gwaay, British Columbia; the Rideau Canal in Ontario; the Landscape of Grand Pré, Nova Scotia; and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in Alberta. Canadian World Heritage sites are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

About the Queen Elizabeth II stamp
Designed by Steven Slipp of Wolfville N.S., the stamp measures 20.25 mm x 23.25 mm and has simulated perforation. The stamp is printed by Lowe-Martin on Tullis Russell paper using four-colour lithography. It is pressure sensitive and the Official First Day Cover is cancelled in Victoria, BC. The stamp, booklets of 10, and the OFDC are available at post offices across the country and at canadapost.ca.

About the Canadian UNESCO sites stamps
This series brings these lush landscapes to Canada in permanent stamps issued in booklets of 10 and 30. The domestic-rate stamps, measuring 24 mm by 20 mm, are also available in a souvenir sheet of five stamps, a souvenir sheet Official First Day Cover and five postage paid postcards. The OFDC will be cancelled in Ottawa, Ontario. Lara Minja, of Victoria, B.C.-based Lime Design, created the stamps. The shape of the visual frame, with one rounded corner, adds a special touch to the composition. A splash of red in the flag at the bottom contrasts with the richness of the imagery. The stamps and related products are available at post offices across the country and at canadapost.ca/shop – where stamp images can also be downloaded.

Britain’s Royal Mail Celebrates 500 Years

[press release]
500 YEARS OF HISTORY DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP

2016 commemorates 500 years since Henry VIII knighted Brian Tuke, the first Master of the Posts, in 1516.

As you would expect from any institution that has been around for 500 years, there are a number of significant dates in our history. The knighting of Brian Tuke was the catalyst for the creation of the Royal Mail we know today. Tuke had the influence and authority to establish key post towns across the country and build out a formal postal network.

To celebrate, Royal Mail is working in close partnership with its heritage partner, the British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA), to create an online gallery of 500 objects, people and events, telling the story not only of the postal service but also of our contribution to social and political development over the last 500 years.

Moya Greene, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Mail, said: “We are proud to celebrate the heritage of this great company. The history of the postal service in the UK reflects the tremendous societal and political change that has taken us from sixteenth century Tudor England to the United Kingdom today.

“In all its guises, Royal Mail has been responsible for a number of world firsts – the Penny Black stamp and the first ever airmail flight to name just two. It has also changed almost beyond recognition, from a small group of King’s Messengers in those early days to a national network connecting consumers, companies and communities across the UK today.

“Against this backdrop of continued change, Royal Mail’s people have been a constant presence. They are the heart of this company. I hope that, through them, we will continue to deliver the Universal Service and play an instrumental role in people’s lives for many years to come.”

Origins of Royal Mail

    • 1516: Henry VIII knighted Brian Tuke, the first Master of the Posts. Tuke had the influence and authority to establish key post towns across the country and build a formal postal network.
    • Before 1635: The postal service operated only for the King and the Court
    • 1635: The postal service was opened up to the general public by King Charles I. A Letter Office was established in London, and six post roads were formalised, including Dover to London, to carry mail across the country
    • 1660: The Post Office Act created the publicly-owned postal service
    • 1711: The Post Office Act paved the way for a unified postal service across Scottish and English (including Wales) administrations following the 1707 Act of Union. Ireland followed in 1808
    • 1840: The reform – over a number of years – of the Post Office by Rowland Hill and others defined the basis of the modern postal service as we know it today and coincided with the broader social and technological changes sweeping across Victorian society at the time
    • 1883: The launch of Parcel Post reflected a growing appetite among both residential and business customers to send and receive parcels. The growth of parcels saw the term ‘Letter Carrier’ replaced with ‘postman’, which is still in use today
      Royal Mail and Social Change
    • 1840: The introduction of the Penny Post prompted an unprecedented expansion in the popularity of mail, as it became more affordable. Mail volumes rose from 67 million in 1839 to 242 million by 1844, with a further lift to more than one billion letters by 1875
    • 1840 onwards: The rise of mail was accompanied by a significant increase in literacy levels as the UK became more industrialised and there was a greater provision of early education
    • 1901: The Association of Post Office Women Clerks was founded. It was the first association in the UK civil service to represent female clerical workers
    • 1861: British entrepreneur Pryce Pryce-Jones set up the first modern mail order company. He distributed Welsh flannel catalogues across the country, allowing people to choose the items they wished and to order them via post
    • Royal Mail employees were some of the first in the UK to receive a company pension, before the introduction of the state pension by David Lloyd George in 1908
    • 1959: Postcodes were introduced on a trial basis in Norwich and then rolled out nationally from 1965-1972. The system is widely recognised as one of the most granular and precise Postcode systems in the world
      World Firsts
    • 1661: The first Bishop mark (or postmark as it is known today) was used. This identified the date of dispatch to give confidence in the speed and reliability of the mail. It was named after the then Postmaster General, Henry Bishop
    • 1840: The Penny Black, the first adhesive postal stamp, launched. As the inventor of the postage stamp, the UK is the only country in the world that does not have its country name on the stamp
    • 1840: The release of the Penny Black also marked the origins of the Universal Service, under which postal rates became uniform across the country
    • 1911: The first scheduled airmail service flew from Hendon to Windsor, as part of the celebrations for the Coronation of King George V. Aviator Gustav Hamel was at the helm for the maiden flight, which was a precursor to the opening up of the postal service overseas
      How the Mail Was Delivered
    • 1516: Busy towns kept a special stable, known as a post, ready to carry mail at a moment’s notice. Letters travelled at speeds averaging 7 to 8 miles per hour in summer and 5 miles per hour in winter. Fresh horses were supplied every 10 to 15 miles
    • 1784: Horse drawn coaches featuring the Royal Mail livery were deployed for the first time to transport the mail, following a trial run between Bristol and London. Other routes to major cities soon followed. The departure of the night mail from London was a public spectacle, with hundreds of onlookers gathering to watch the coaches depart
    • 1800s: King’s Messengers were employed by the government to carry messages from the Admiralty during wars. They were often required to board sail-driven packet ships in order to deliver messages to the theatre of conflict
    • 1821: Steam-driven packet ships were introduced to deliver mail across the British Empire and the Commonwealth, leading to the founding of Royal Mail Ships (RMS) in 1840. The ships proved popular with passengers too, as they ran to strict timetables to ensure mail was delivered on time
    • 1830: The General Post Office and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway reached an agreement that saw the start of mail being carried by train. The first route was between Liverpool and Manchester
    • 1907: The first motor vehicle, a two and a half tonne lorry called the Maudslay Stores Number 1, entered the service. The vehicle was in service for 18 years during which it covered over 300,000 miles
    • 1934: German rocket engineer, Gerhard Zucker, made the suggestion that mail could be delivered by rockets. He failed to persuade the company that they were a viable option
      http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/rocket-mail/

The People Made Royal Mail

  • 1665: 45 people were employed by the postal service. Employee numbers climbed to nearly half a million in the 20th century
  • 1836: Moses Nobbs was the longest serving Mail Guard in the Royal Mail, serving 55 years (1836-1891) initially on the Mail Coaches and later on the railways in Travelling Post Offices (TPOs)
  • 1880: Post Office telegraphy clerk, Charles Garland begins to campaign for better healthcare and working conditions for staff during the consumption crisis. The campaign led to development of the first healthcare fund in the country. The Post Office Sanatorium Society was founded in 1905, leading to much improved conditions across the company. The fund continues today as The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, with almost 900,000 members
  • 1880: Henry Fawcett from Salisbury was appointed Postmaster General in 1880. With the support of his wife Millicent Fawcett, who founded the Fawcett Society, he campaigned for the employment of women
  • 1908: Mrs Elizabeth Dickson retired as a rural postwoman after 30 years and 8 months’ service. She was never late for duty and had only taken off 14 days for illness
  • 1912: Two British postal workers died aboard the RMS Titanic. James Bertram Williamson and John Richard Jago Smith were determined to save the mail as the ship went down, with a witness saying they “urged them to leave their work. They shook their heads and continued.” They died alongside US postal workers Oscar Scott Woody, John Starr March, and William Logan Gwinn
  • 1941: The General Post Office approves women’s trousers, named “Camerons” after the postwoman Jean Cameron who requested their introduction
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/jean-cameron-born-19211922/

Royal Mail and the British Empire

  • 1737: Founding father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia under the British Parliamentary Post. He, alongside William Hunter, streamlined the postal system in the US to increase take up and make it profitable
  • 1847: The ‘Post Office’ Mauritius stamps were first issued. They were the first stamps to be issued in the British Empire. They are among the rarest in the world, with a value of around one million pounds. The plates were engraved by Joseph Barnard from Portsmouth, who stowed away on a ship to get to Mauritius
  • 1937: Launch of the Empire Mail Scheme, which lowered the cost of sending letters to British Empire destinations. The scheme was a success, with over 91 million letters being sent in 1938

Royal Mail’s Role in the Two World Wars
World War I

  • 1914-1918: 12,000 postal workers served in The Post Office Rifles throughout the First World War. 1,800 were killed and over 4,500 wounded
  • 1914-1918: During the First World War, Royal Mail saw a huge rise in letters and parcels sent to loved ones fighting abroad. At its peak, 2,500 staff handled 12 million letters and a million parcels in a week
  • 1914-1918: To cope with the increase, Royal Mail built the Home Depot, an enormous wooden temporary sorting office in Regent’s Park that covered several acres
  • 1914-1918: Four former postal workers were awarded the Victoria Cross – Sgt Albert Gill from Birmingham, Sgt Alfred Knight from Nottingham, Major Henry Kelly from Manchester and Sgt John Hogan, a postman from Oldham

World War II

  • 1944: General Dwight D Eisenhower wrote to the Postmaster General, thanking staff for keeping the network of communications open across the country in the run up to D-Day
  • Eisenhower wrote: ‘The build-up of the necessary forces for the current operations has involved the construction of a vast network of communications radiating from key centers of vital importance in the United Kingdom. The greater part of this work has been undertaken by the Engineers and Staff of the General Post Office
  • 1941: Airgraph, based on microfilm technology, was introduced in the Second World War as a solution to the circuitous route for air communication between Britain and the Middle East. It helped reduce the size of mail while maintaining the volume of letters sent

The Role of Animals

  • 1868: Cats were first officially appointed by the Post Office to catch rodents. Three cats worked at the Money Order Office in London, with an allowance of one shilling a week
  • 1950: Probably the most famous feline is Tibs who lived in the Royal Mail Headquarters refreshment club in the basement of the building. After Tibs died on 23 November 1964, his obituary in the January 1965 Post Office Magazine was headed “Tibs the Great is No More”
  • 1898: Horses harnessed to coaches were used to deliver a growing amount of mail. As a valuable part of the delivery process, the horses were entitled to sick leave. A note from 1898 states that ‘Mr T C Poppleton’s horse…is suffering from sore shoulders and unable to perform his official duties’
  • 1943: During the Second World War, there were 22,000 pigeons in service

The “Royal” in “Royal Mail”

  • Starting with Henry VIII, the UK postal service has operated under 21 monarchs
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/king-s-posts/
  • 1840: Queen Victoria was the first monarch in the world to appear on a postage stamp with the launch of the Penny Black
  • 1840s: Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and the second son of Queen Victoria begins the Royal stamp collection, with the ‘Kirkcudbright Cover’ bearing ten Penny Blacks
  • 1853: Postboxes first appear with the insignia, or cypher, of the monarch reigning at the time of placement
  • 1966: Queen Elizabeth II approved Arnold Machin’s design of her to be used on what came to be known as the ‘Machin series’ of British definitive postage stamps. Her Majesty’s image has appeared more than 180 billion copies produced to date

Stamps

  • 1840: The introduction of the Penny Black meant postage was paid by the sender and the price set by weight. Before this point, recipients usually had to pay postage, and were charged by the number of sheets in the letter and distance travelled
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/the-first-postage-stamp-queen-victoria-1d-black-the-penny-black-1840/
  • 1940: Following the outbreak of the Second World War, and the resulting greater co-operation between Britain and France, there were many calls for a joint stamp issue. The plans were eventually abandoned
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/proposed-anglo-french-union-issue-1940/
  • 1951: The plan to celebrate the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851 with a Festival was accompanied by a request for a complete new range of stamps. The stamps were issued on 3 May 1951, the day the Festival was officially opened
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/festival-of-britain-4d-1951/
  • 1965: The then Postmaster General, Tony Benn, worked with designer David Gentleman to modernise stamp design. The reason for the creation of Special Stamps was to celebrate events and commemorate anniversaries relevant to UK heritage and life. The stamp of Sir Winston Churchill, issued in July of that year, was designed by Gentleman and was the first under Benn’s administration
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/modern-special-stamp-programme-born-with-churchill-commemoration-1965/
  • 2012: Twenty nine stamps were produced to commemorate Great Britain’s gold medal winners at the London 2012 Olympic Games
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/celebrating-britain-s-2012-gold-medal-athletes/
  • Images of The Queen form the most frequent subject on Royal Mail Special Stamps (in addition to Her Majesty’s silhouette which can be found in the corner of every stamp). The next most popular individual to feature is The Duke of Edinburgh. He is followed by William Shakespeare
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/most-frequent-top-3-people-to-feature-on-stamps/
  • Christmas
  • 1843: The postal service played an important role in defining the archetypal Victorian Christmas. Henry Cole launched the first Christmas card with an initial print run of 1,000. The cards originally cost a shilling each, the equivalent of about £36 today. In 2001, an original card sold at an auction for £25,000
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/first-christmas-card-1843/
  • Mid 1800s: Robins began gracing the front of Christmas cards. This change was a result of the bright red waistcoat that Royal Mail postmen and women wore
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/the-changing-face-of-christmas-cards/
  • 1963: Royal Mail was appointed by Santa to reply to letters addressed to him. In the first year, Royal Mail replied to over 8,000 letters. It was such a success, the Postmaster General, Reginald Bevins – was labelled ‘Santa Bevins’
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/letter-from-santa-1963/
  • Royal Mail today
  • As the UK’s sole designated Universal Service Provider, Royal Mail delivers the ‘one-price-goes-anywhere’ service to more than 29 million addresses, across the UK, six-days-a-week
  • Royal Mail handles more than one billion parcels and more than 16 billion letters a year¹
  • With a workforce of more than 140,000 people, the company is one of the UK’s largest employers
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/employees-20th-century/
  • On average, one in 180 employed people in the UK works for Royal Mail
  • Royal Mail made the 6th largest contribution to the UK economy of all UK corporations in 2014¹
  • The organisation has a fleet of more than 49,000 vehicles delivering mail to all parts of the country
    http://500years.royalmailgroup.com/gallery/expansion-of-the-vehicle-fleet/
  • In 2004, The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) is established as an independent charity to care for five centuries of Royal Mail history. 2017 will see the new rebranded The Postal Museum open in central London, bringing a wealth of stories from British social and communications history to life
  • In 2014, Royal Mail introduced around 30 new services, products and promotions to enhance its customer offering
  • Royal Mail red – which features on the vans, uniforms and post boxes – is part of the DNA of Royal Mail as well as part of the fabric of UK life
  • In 2015, Royal Mail was named as the global leader in its sector in the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Indices

Year of the Monkey (Canada 2016)

Updated February 12th: The international-rate stamp, its Official First Day Cover and the picture postcard are all sold out.

[press release]
Monkey takes centre stage in 12-year Lunar New Year series can_yrmonkeyOTTAWA, Jan. 6, 2016 /CNW/ – Today, Canada Post unveiled the images that will be featured on commemorative stamps celebrating the Year of the Monkey, which begins February 8, 2016 and ends January 27, 2017. The Monkey is the eighth stamp in Canada Post’s 12-year Lunar New Year series, which began with the Ox.

The stamps are being released in two waves – one for domestic rate (January 11) and another for international rate (February 1). All stamps and related products can be pre-ordered on canadapost.ca/shop.

Domestic and international stamps were inspired by the legend of the Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong, one of the main characters in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Also transformed into a famous Chinese opera, the story tells of how the sovereign accompanied the monk Xuanzang on a journey to India to retrieve sacred Buddhist texts known as sutras.

Designed by Albert Ng and Linna Xu, the domestic stamp depicts a golden figure that is vibrant and alive against a rich red background that provides a stark and striking contrast, while the international-rate stamp features a stylized Monkey King mask with red and gold accents. Popular Chinese New Year’s greetings appear at the edge of the pane of 25 and on the OFDCs.

Those born in the Year of the Monkey are said to possess brilliance, flexibility and inventiveness, along with an excellent memory and strong will to succeed. They can, however, be easily frustrated by delays, tend to look down on others and have a fast-flaring temper. Canadians born to this lunar year include singer Céline Dion, actress Kim Cattrall and legendary pianist Glenn Gould.

About the stamps
The Year of the Monkey domestic and international stamps measure 32 mm x 32 mm and the souvenir sheet 40 mm x 140 mm. In the first wave, issued January 11, are: a Permanent™ stamp that comes in a pane of 25 or a booklet of 10 (stamps in the pane are embossed and foiled); Permanent™ stamp OFDCs; and a postcard. Available February 1 will be: an international stamp that comes in a booklet of six; a single stamp souvenir sheet that includes foil and embossing; a transitional souvenir sheet that honours both the Ram (2015) and the Monkey (2016) and includes foil and embossing; a souvenir sheet OFDC; an uncut press sheet with foil and embossing; a postcard; and frames.

WSS-NY 2016 Final Meeting Room Call

January 5, 2016

For Immediate Release

WSS-NY 2016 Final Meeting Room Call

With World Stamp Show-NY 2016 rapidly approaching, this is the “final call” for reserving meeting rooms for use during its 8 day run from May 28 to June 4 at the Javits Center in New York City.

The show has received an overwhelming response from philatelic organizations around the world requesting space to hold meetings and seminars. As of this time 111 groups from several countries will be participating, totaling over 210 gatherings and 300+ hours of presentations.

Rod Juell, Society and Affiliates Chair, explains further.

“We have 16 rooms from 8 AM to 6 PM daily that have been filling up as seen on our events calendar at http://www.ny2016.org/EventCalendar.aspxwww.ny2016.org and on the daily listing sheets at http://www.ny2016.org/pdf/NY2016_meetings_and_events.pdf. We still have 1 and 2 hour slots available most days on a first-come basis and at no charge for societies looking for meeting room space. It will be another 10 years before another opportunity like this takes place.”

Only reservations made by January 29 can be guaranteed a listing in the official show program. Presentations not only for established collectors, but introductory talks that may be of interest to newcomers and casual collectors are especially encouraged.

Juell further reminds those who have already scheduled events to review their online listing for completeness and accuracy. Presentation titles and presenter names, when appropriate, should accompany every event.

Listing updates, room inquiries and questions are to be emailed to him as soon as possible at rodney.juell@ny2016.org.

Complete show information is available online at www.ny2016.org as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Thomas M. Fortunato

Rochester, NY

Chairman, Marketing and Public Relations

World Stamp Show- NY 2016

http://www.ny2016.org

Join us May 28-June 4, 2016

Javits Center, New York City