[press release]
TO BOLDLY GO!
ROYAL MAIL REVEALS NEW STAR TREK SPECIAL STAMPS!
Issue Date: 13 November 2020

• Royal Mail has revealed images of new Special Stamps that celebrate the iconic, long running Star Trek franchise
• Star Trek was first broadcast in the UK in 1969 and has featured British acting talent throughout its history
• 12 stamps depict the captains from six principle TV series, plus additional crew members: Captain James T Kirk; Spock; Captain Jean-Luc Picard; Commander Deanna Troi; Captain Benjamin Sisko; Doctor Julian Bashir; Captain Kathryn Janeway; Captain Jonathan Archer; Lieutenant Malcolm Reed; Captain Gabriel Lorca; Lieutenant Ash Tyler; and Commander Michael Burnham
• A further six stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, feature characters from across the movies of the Star Trek franchise, and are all played by British actors: Montgomery Scott; Shinzon; Tolian Soran; Klingon Chancellor Gorkon; Carol Marcus; and Krall
• January 2020 saw the launch of Star Trek: Picard, in which Patrick Stewart reprised his iconic role for a new adventure
• The 12 main character stamps are new illustrations by London-based artist Freya Betts; the images portray the iconic characters alongside reflective details, including starships, in the background of their respective series
• Star Trek was created by American writer and producer Gene Roddenberry and first aired on US TV in 1966
• The long-running space-opera has so far produced more than 780 TV episodes and 13 movies
• Screened globally, it has been a cult phenomenon for decades and has catchphrases that are in common use
• The full set of 18 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £14.80 TBC
• The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order from www.royalmail.com/startrek and go on general sale on 13 November

Royal Mail has revealed images of a new set of Special Stamps that celebrate the iconic, long running Star Trek TV and film franchise.

Star Trek was first broadcast in the UK in 1969 and has featured British acting talent throughout its history.

The set comprises 12 stamps that depict the captains from six principle TV series, plus additional crew members: Captain James T Kirk; Spock; Captain Jean-Luc Picard; Commander Deanna Troi; Captain Benjamin Sisko; Doctor Julian Bashir; Captain Kathryn Janeway; Captain Jonathan Archer; Lieutenant Malcolm Reed; Captain Gabriel Lorca; Lieutenant Ash Tyler; and Commander Michael Burnham. Six of these characters are played by British actors.

A further six stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, feature characters from across the movies of the franchise, and are all played by British actors: Montgomery Scott; Shinzon; Tolian Soran; Klingon Chancellor Gorkon; Carol Marcus; and Krall.

Star Trek was the brainchild of pilot turned writer-producer Gene Roddenberry, who envisaged a science fiction show where thrilling interstellar action was combined with a thoughtful exploration of moral issues.

With its ethnically diverse cast and optimistic vision of a united future, Star Trek launched on American television in September 1966; its mission to transport viewers on a journey into the farthest reaches of the universe, telling epic stories, filled with excitement and intrigue.

The long-running space-opera has, to date, produced more than 780 episodes and 13 movies. Screened globally, it has been a cult phenomenon for decades and has produced catch phrases that are in common use.

The 12 main character stamps were illustrated by London-based, illustrator, Freya Betts. Each stamp portrays the characters alongside reflective details in the background of their respective shows, including the iconic starships.

Inspired by his time serving in the US Air Force, his love of CS Forester’s nautical adventure stories and science fiction movies such as 1956’s Forbidden Planet, writer-producer Gene Roddenberry first pitched Star Trek to TV companies in 1964. The show would follow the crew of an Earth-based starship, originally called the Yorktown but later renamed the Enterprise, as they explored the galaxy, making weekly stops on alien planets and encountering all kinds of non-human life.

Signing a contract with Desilu, a production company owned by comedy star Lucille Ball, Roddenberry brought in skilled writers and other collaborators to help him develop Star Trek into a weekly series that would resonate with American TV audiences. After several false starts, the show was first broadcast on the NBC network in September 1966. It was first broadcast in the UK in 1969, with repeats over the next decade building its popularity and cementing its place in popular culture.

Star Trek wasn’t the first sci-fi show on television, but it was by far the smartest, posing vital questions about the future of humanity while filling the screen with the bizarre creatures popular with viewers. But the heart of the show was its memorable cast of characters, a diverse group led by the noble Captain James T Kirk and committed to the peaceful principles of the United Federation of Planets.

In 1987 Gene Rodenberry launched Star Trek: The Next Generation which introduced a new Enterprise and crew under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, which ran for an astonishing 178 episodes. Further series have followed, with this year seeing the launch of Star Trek: Picard, where actor Patrick Stewart reprised his iconic role for a new adventure.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “For more than 50 years Star Trek has enthralled and inspired generations of loyal fans with extraordinary adventures and an optimistic vision of humanity’s future. We celebrate the Star Trek Universe with stylish new stamps of its iconic characters.”

The full set of 18 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £14.80.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order from www.royalmail.com/startrek and go on general sale on 13 November.

Actors who feature in the main 12-stamp set:
William Shatner; Leonard Nimoy; Patrick Stewart; Marina Sirtis Avery Brooks; Alexander Siddig; Kate Mulgrew; Scott Bakula; Dominic Keating; Jason Isaacs; Shazad Latif; and Sonequa Martin-Green.

Actors who feature in the miniature sheet:
Simon Pegg; Tom Hardy; Malcolm McDowell; David Warner; Alice Eve; and Idris Elba.

[press release]
It’s A Bug’s Life!
New Special Stamps from Royal Mail Celebrate Pollinating Insects of The UK

• Royal Mail today launches a set of Special Stamps that celebrate the diversity, intrigue and importance of pollinating insects in the UK
• Entitled ‘Brilliant Bugs’, the stamps celebrate pollinators and explore bees and butterflies – and other often overlooked important pollinators including moths, beetles, hoverflies and wasps
• Six important insect pollinators are featured: Common Carder Bee; Painted Lady Butterfly; Longhorn Beetle; Elephant Hawk-moth; Marmalade Hoverfly; and Ruby-tailed Wasp
• Pollinators are responsible for pollination of vast quantities of food crops for humans and farm animals and the pollination of wild plants including flowers and some trees
• There are thought to be more than five million species of these ‘brilliant bugs’ worldwide, although, there is growing evidence the numbers of insects, including some pollinators, are declining
• Royal Mail worked with ecologist and entomologist, Professor Helen Roy MBE, from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, on the stamp set
• The stamps were illustrated by Oxfordforshire-based, wildlife artist, Richard Lewington
• The full set of six stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £8.70. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now from www.royalmail.com/brilliantbugs

Royal Mail has launched a set of six stamps that celebrate the diversity, intrigue and importance of insects which pollinate plants in the UK.

The stamps explore insects — including bees and butterflies — and other often overlooked important pollinators, including moths, beetles, hoverflies and wasps.

Featured are six important insect pollinators feeding on flowers they typically visit: Common Carder Bee; Painted Lady Butterfly; Longhorn Beetle; Elephant Hawk-moth; Marmalade Hoverfly; and Ruby-tailed Wasp.

Pollinators are responsible for pollination of vast quantities of food crops for humans and farm animals and the pollination of wild plants including flowers and some trees. Of all plants worldwide, more than 85% are pollinated by insects and other animals.

There are thought to be more than five million species of these ‘brilliant bugs’ worldwide.

Bees are the main pollinators in most ecosystems; there are over 20,000 species worldwide and more than 250 are found in the UK. Flies are considered the second most important group of pollinators; there are a staggering 120,000 species of fly worldwide. In addition to bees and flies, some species of butterfly, moth, wasp, beetle as well as thrip, are also considered important visitors to flowers.

There have been many reports that pollinating insects are undergoing significant declines around the world. Many reasons are given for these declines – from climate change to how we manage landscapes. A recent study in Britain showed that, over the last three decades, one third of bee and hoverfly species have declined.

To combat the declines, farmers around the world are putting flower-rich habitats back on the land they manage. Consequently, they are seeing an increase in the number of pollinating insects.

We can increase the numbers of flowers in urban landscapes by growing plants attractive to pollinating insects. There are many to choose from, including cowslips, bugle and heathers.

Vetches, dandelions, clovers and many of the flowers that appear in lawns also provide a rich source of nectar for pollinating insects – so patches of unmown lawn can be beneficial.

Royal Mail worked with ecologist and entomologist Professor Helen Roy MBE, from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, on the stamp set.
Professor Roy, said: “Insects are captivating, and I was delighted to be invited to join Royal Mail in celebrating insect pollinators.”

The stamps were illustrated by Oxfordshire-based, renowned wildlife artist, Richard Lewington.

Richard said: “At a time when the plight of insects as pollinators has much been in the news, I was delighted to be commissioned by Royal Mail, to highlight the importance and incredible diversity of ‘Brilliant Bugs’.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail said: “Our exquisite new stamps depict colourful insects feeding on some of the flowers they frequent. We mark the vital role they play in pollinating wild flowers and crops: from bees and butterflies to the often-underappreciated work of hoverflies, moths, wasps and beetles.”

Stamp by stamp:

Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
Depicted on large blue pea flower. One of the 24 species of bumblebee that live in the UK, this ginger-coloured bee can be found in many different habitats including gardens.

Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui)
Depicted on thistle. This migratory butterfly travels vast distances from the Middle East and Central Asia before arriving in the UK during the summer months.

Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculate)
Depicted on flowering hawthorn. This species lives for several years in its larval stage feeding on decaying wood, finally emerging as the striking, wasp-mimicking adult illustrated on the stamp to live for between two and four weeks.

Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Depicted on honeysuckle. More than 2500 species of moth have been recorded in the UK. The elephant hawk-moth’s pink and green wings span 45-60mm.

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Depicted on oilseed rape. In the UK there are more than 280 species of hoverfly. Favouring flat-topped flowers to land and fed on, it is commonly seen in gardens and is an important pollinator of crops.

Ruby-tailed Wasp (Chrysis ignita agg.)
Depicted on angelica. While the adult ruby-tailed wasp feeds on the nectar of flowers, the young larvae eat the eggs and larvae of other insect species.

The full set of six stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £8.70.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available at: www.royalmail.com/brilliantbugs