[press release]
Special Star Wars-Themed Stamps From Royal Mail Mark The Final Instalment Of The Skywalker Saga

• Royal Mail issues the third and final stamp set in their Star Wars-themed collection [November 26th]
• The new set includes 10 character-themed stamps, featuring three brand new characters from the forthcoming film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
• Characters featured on the stamps, from the highly anticipated final instalment in the Skywalker saga, are: Jannah; Zorii Bliss; Lando Calrissian; Poe Dameron; and the all-new Sith Trooper
• The new set also features other classic characters from the Skywalker saga including Count Dooku; Grand Moff Tarkin; Darth Maul; the Wicket the Ewok; and Queen Amidala
• Completing the set are six further stamps presented in a miniature sheet, illustrating some of the most iconic starships in the galaxy: Poe’s X-wing fighter; Jedi starfighter; Slave I; TIE silencer; Podracers; and speeder bikes
• The artwork on the stamps feature original illustrations by British artist Malcolm Tween, who also designed the hugely popular Star Wars stamp sets issued in 2015 and 2017
• Each stamp features a secondary character or scene illustrated by Tween especially for the stamps
• The style of the ‘1st’ value on each of the stamps replicates the iconic font used for the films
• A full set of all 16 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.00
• The stamps, and other collectible products, can be pre-ordered now at www.royalmail.com/starwars and by phone on 03457 641 641
• The stamps will be available on general sale at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK from 26 November 2019

Royal Mail has revealed the images of the final set of stamps in its own Star Wars-themed collection.

The 16-stamp set will mark the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – which is in cinemas from the 19th December – and features characters and iconic vehicles from the Skywalker saga.

Ten character stamps feature: Count Dooku; Lando Calrissian; Sith Trooper; Jannah; Grand Moff Tarkin; Darth Maul; Zorii Bliss; Wicket Warrick; Poe Dameron; and Queen Amidala.

Character-themed stamps making their debut in Royal Mail’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stamp set are Jannah, Zorii Bliss and the red armoured Sith Troopers.

The characters of Count Dooku and Grand Moff Tarkin, are both included in the new set.

Art of the Ewok character, Wicket Warrick, as well as the character Jannah, are also included on the stamps.

Completing the set are six stamps featuring some of the most iconic vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy including a Podracer and Slave I. Poe’s X-wing fighter; Jedi starfighter; TIE silencer; and speeder bikes also make an appearance.

All 10 character stamps are original, exclusive illustrations by digital artist and Star Wars fan Malcolm Tween. Tween blended the main images with background scenes to create striking and hyper-realistic montages. Tween also designed the hugely popular 2015 and 2017 Star Wars stamp issues.

As with the previous two issues, the style of the ‘1st‘ value on each of the stamps will replicate the iconic font used for the films.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “Once again Malcolm Tween takes us on a journey across the Star Wars galaxy with extraordinary artwork of characters old and new. The stamps are miniature masterpieces and a fitting tribute to mark the end of the Skywalker saga.”

The full set of 16 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.00.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/starwars and by phone on 03457 641 641.

The stamps will be available on general sale at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK from 26 November.

Stamp-by-stamp:

Count Dooku
The sinister and elegant Count Dooku trained as a Jedi Master but joined Darth Sidious as a Sith. Working secretly with Sidious, he leads a droid army against the Republic and initiates the deadly Clone Wars at the Battle of Geonosis, where he engages in a lightsaber battle with Jedi Master Yoda. Sidious betrays Dooku, and the Count is killed by Anakin Skywalker.

Lando Calrissian
The one-time owner of the “fastest ship in the galaxy”, the Millennium Falcon, Lando Calrissian was a gambler and a smuggler who lost the Falcon in a game of sabacc to Han Solo. Later the administrator of a sophisticated resort on Bespin, Cloud City, he allies himself with the Empire before joining the Rebel Alliance and helping to destroy the second Death Star.

Sith Trooper
Inspired by the power of a dark and dangerous legacy, the Sith troopers are Kylo Ren’s new breed of highly skilled soldiers. Trained to elite level, these fearsome warriors can handle close-combat blades and blaster rifles as well as long-range heavy artillery. The Sith troopers are to be employed in the First Order’s final push for ultimate galactic domination.

Jannah
Armed with weapons such as an energy bow and a grapple hook, Jannah is the honourable leader of a fierce band of warriors from an oceanic moon. Jannah is athletic and superbly skilled at archery and riding. She joins legendary heroes such as Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca in the fight against the evils of the First Order.

Grand Moff Tarkin
Wilhuff Tarkin became the Emperor’s first Grand Moff, a title given to a governor who rules over star systems that show signs of rebelliousness. Tarkin commanded the Death Star, a superweapon employed against whole planets to demonstrate his maxim of “ruling through fear of force”. Tarkin dies on the Death Star when it is obliterated by the Rebel Alliance.

Darth Maul
A Zabrak with head horns and face tattoos, Maul is trained in the dark arts as a Sith warrior by Darth Sidious. He emerges from his training on Tatooine and confronts Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. In this battle, Jinn is killed, while Maul is sliced in two at the waist. However, he manages to survive and fights in the Clone Wars on robotic legs.

Zorii Bliss
Zorii Bliss is a tough spice runner from the snowy planet Kijimi. Armed with twin blaster pistols and wearing a visored helmet to hide her face, Zorii just wants to keep her business to herself. But even streetwise scoundrels such as Zorii are forced to take sides in the increasingly high-stakes war between the First Order and the Resistance.

Wicket Warrick
An Ewok scout and warrior, Wicket W. Warrick befriends Leia Organa on his homeworld, the forest moon of Endor. The peaceful planet has become the site of an Imperial generator that powers the energy shield protecting the second Death Star. Using only simple weapons and traps, Wicket and his fellow Ewoks help Leia and the Rebel Alliance defeat the Empire during the battle of Endor.

Poe Dameron
Ace pilot Poe Dameron is a highly skilled member of the Resistance. Assisted in his customised T-70 X-wing fighter by his trusty droid, BB-8, he leads a daring raid to find a weak spot in Starkiller Base. Preferring action to passivity, he clashes with the leadership of the Resistance over his desire to strike at the First Order but remains at the heart of any battle.

Queen Amidala
At the age of 14, Padmé Amidala becomes the monarch on her planet Naboo. A skilled diplomat and fighter, she goes on to represent Naboo as its senator on Coruscant, where she falls in love with a dashing young Jedi, Anakin Skywalker. Witnessing Anakin’s fall to the dark side, Amidala is forced to flee after she becomes pregnant with their twins, Luke and Leia.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is released in cinemas on 20 December.

[press release]
Royal Mail Reveals 2019 Christmas Special Stamps

• The six 2019 Christmas stamps depict scenes from the Biblical story of the Nativity from the Annunciation, the journey of the Magi and the birth of Jesus Christ
• Royal Mail’s 2019 Christmas stamps have been created by the talented duo and paper-cut artists Hari & Deepti. Based on a fusion of intricate paper-art and lighting, their work brings to life the magical story of Christmas with imaginative story-telling
• The tradition of sending Christmas cards was established in the UK in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, when just 1,000 of them were produced
• Help Royal Mail’s postmen and women deliver this year’s festive mail by posting early this Christmas and using the postcode
• The stamps are on sale from 5 November 2019. They will be available at www.royalmail.com/christmas2019, by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices across the UK

The six stamp designs depict scenes from the Biblical story of the Nativity, from the Annunciation, the journey of the Magi and the birth of Jesus Christ.

The stamps were created by the talented duo and paper-cut artists, Hari & Deepti.

Using layers of intricate paper and light-boxes, they create three-dimensional scenes and creations that bring magical stories to life. Their atmospheric work has been exhibited internationally.

Available in 1st Class, 2nd Class, Large letter rates and overseas values, the stamps are available from today at www.royalmail.com/christmas2019, by calling 03457 641641 and from 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK.

The History of Christmas Cards
The tradition of sending Christmas cards was established in 1843, with the introduction of the world’s first commercially produced Christmas cards. The cards were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole, who just three years earlier had played a key role in helping to introduce Royal Mail’s Penny Post service. Only 1,000 of these cards were printed and sold for a shilling each. This meant that they were a luxury item and were not affordable for most people.

One of the original 1,000 cards sent is also the most valuable in the world, according to Guinness World Records. The card, which was originally sent by Sir Henry Cole to his grandmother in 1843, was sold at an auction in Devizes, Wiltshire for £20,000 on 24 November 2001.

[press release]
ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL STAMPS MARK 20 YEARS OF THE GRUFFALO

• Royal Mail reveals 10 Special Stamps depicting characters from The Gruffalo; the 1999 children’s internationally, best-selling picture book written by Julia Donaldson, and illustrated by Axel Scheffler
• Six stamps remain true to the original tale, following the Mouse’s progress through the deep dark wood and introducing the other characters one by one
  Completing the set, four stamps are presented in a Miniature Sheet
• Royal Mail commissioned Axel Scheffler to create new illustrations of characters from The Gruffalo for the stamps in the Miniature Sheet
• A full set of the stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.20
• The stamps and other collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/thegruffalo and by phone on 03457 641 641
• They will be available on general sale at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK from 10 October

The Gruffalo has won numerous awards; it was the UK’s best-selling picture book of 2000, won the Blue Peter Best Book To Read Aloud award and was voted Best Bedtime Story in a BBC poll of 2009. It has been adapted into theatre productions with runs in the West End, Broadway and the Sydney Opera House. It has also been adapted into an Oscar nominated, animated film.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “We celebrate 20 years of The Gruffalo with these charming stamps, and are delighted that Axel has taken us back to the deep, dark wood with his new illustrations of the much-loved characters.”

A full set of all 10 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack (which includes a Gruffalo snakes and ladders game), retails at £12.20.

In the book, Mouse encounters several predators in the wood, and declines their invitations to dinner, telling each that he is meeting his (imaginary) friend, the fearsome Gruffalo. Hearing this, each predator flees in terror. Then, however, Mouse is shocked to encounter the real monster from his imagination.

Axel Scheffler illustrated Royal Mail’s 2012 Christmas stamps.

[press release]
Royal Mail honours Elton John with a set of 12 Special Stamps

Royal Mail issued September 3rd a set of 12 Special Stamps to celebrate one of the UK’s most influential music artists and cultural figures, Elton John. With more than 300 million record sales, he is one of the most successful music stars of all time.

This year sees the 50th anniversary of his first album and, as he continues his final tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, Elton becomes only the second individual music artist to have a dedicated stamp issue.

Eight stamps showcase some of Elton’s most admired and iconic albums: Honky Chateau; Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; Caribou; Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy; Sleeping With The Past; The One; Made In England and Songs From The West Coast. The arc of the vinyl record appears from the right-hand side of each album cover.

Completing the set, four stamps, presented in a Miniature Sheet, show Elton in action performing live across five decades: Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1973; Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, 1975; Diamond Jubilee Concert, Buckingham Palace, London, 2012 and Madison Square Garden, New York, 2018.

A global superstar, Elton John is one of the most successful recording artists of all time and has, over his 50-year career, achieved one diamond, 38 platinum or multi-platinum and 26 gold albums. He has been awarded 13 Ivor Novellos, five Grammys and the Grammy Legend Award, five BRITS, including the first BRITS Icon Award, an Academy Award, a Tony Award and a Golden Globe.

He wrote the award-winning and much acclaimed soundtracks and stage music for The Lion King and Billy Elliot.

He has been deeply influential to successive generations of songwriters. His work has been covered by hundreds of artists in different genres, from Ed Sheeran to Aretha Franklin to Lady Ga Ga.

Elton is a noted philanthropist. He founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised more than $450 million globally to combat stigma, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS.

In recognition of his contribution to music and for his charity work he was knighted in 1998, having been awarded a CBE two years previously.

Elton John, said: “To say I was surprised when Royal Mail got in touch, is an understatement. Never did I think I’d appear on a stamp! It’s wonderful, a great honour.”

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “Elton is one of the most successful British solo artists of all time. He has recorded some of the best-known songs in pop history such as Candle in the Wind and Rocket Man. Our stamps issued today showcase some of his most iconic albums, and celebrate his fantastic musical contribution.”

The stamps and a range of unique collectible products including frames and prints are available from www.royalmail.com/eltonjohn

The only other music artists to have been honoured with a dedicated Royal Mail stamp issue are: The Beatles (2010); Pink Floyd (2015) and David Bowie (2017).

The Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour is a three-year, final world tour featuring more than 300 concerts. Elton will play in the UK in November and December 2020.

Elton John’s autobiography, Me is published on 15th October 2019, and Rocketman: The Movie is out now.

Elton John
Elton’s career achievements to date are unsurpassed in their breadth and longevity. Elton is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, with one diamond, 38 platinum or multi-platinum, and 26 gold albums, over 50 Top 40 hits, and he has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. He holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time, “Candle in the Wind 1997”, which sold over 33 million copies. Diamonds the Ultimate Greatest Hits album, reached the Top 5 of the UK album charts on its release in November 2017, becoming Elton’s 40th UK Top 40 album in the process. This release celebrated 50 years of his song writing partnership with Bernie Taupin. August 2018 saw Elton named as the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history, having logged 67 entries, including nine No. 1s and 27 Top 10s.

Elton announced the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at New York’s Gotham Hall in January 2018. Encompassing 5 continents, and over 350 dates, this 3-year-long tour started in September 2018 and marks his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road. In May 2019 it was named Billboard’s Top Rock Tour. To date, Elton has delivered more than 4,000 performances in more than 80 countries since launching his first tour in 1970. 2019 has already seen the release of ‘Rocketman’, a fantasy musical motion picture of his life and his autobiography Me will be published later in the year.

Among the many awards and honours bestowed upon him are six GRAMMYs, including a GRAMMY Legend award, a Tony and an Oscar, a Best British Male Artist BRIT Award, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honor, Legend of Live Award, 13 Ivor Novello Awards between 1973 and 2001and a knighthood from HM Queen Elizabeth II for “services to music and charitable services.”

In 1992, Elton established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which today is one of the leading non-profit HIV/AIDS organizations and has raised over $450 million to date in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. In June 2019 President Emmanuel Macron presented Elton the Légion d/honneur, France’s highest award, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The first day covers:more products: https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/elton-john

[press release]
Royal Mail to Issue Special Stamps for England Men’s And Women’s ICC Cricket World Cup Wins
Men’s And Women’s Teams Now Hold Both ICC Cricket World Cup Winners’ Titles Simultaneously

The eight Special Stamps go on general sale from 26 September, 2019

• The stamps will feature images taken during the finals and subsequent celebrations of both England Men’s and Women’s ICC Cricket World Cup winning teams and will be presented in two Miniature Sheets
• Fans can pre-order the stamps now; online at www.royalmail.com/cricket and by phone on 03457 641 641
• The stamps will available on general sale from Post Offices on 26 September
• Each sheet will include two 1st Class stamps, alongside two £1.60 value stamps, and retail at £4.60
• This is the first time England Men’s and Women’s cricket teams have held both the ICC Cricket World Cup trophies simultaneously
• Royal Mail also decorated some of its iconic and much-loved post boxes in white with a stylised gold cricket bat, ball and stumps at each of the grounds that played host to the 2019 men’s and 2017 women’s tournaments. The paintwork will be in place for three months and will be complemented by a permanent gold plaque
• Royal Mail celebrates historic sporting victories and achievements for all of the UK’s home nations

The eight Special Stamps will be presented in two Miniature Sheets.

The men’s Miniature Sheet comprises four stamps; each capturing a moment of celebration following England’s thrilling World Cup Final victory against New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The England women’s Miniature Sheet also comprises four stamps – each image depicting the rapturous celebrations following their victorious World Cup Final against India at Lord’s Cricket Ground in 2017.

Each sheet will include two 1st Class stamps, alongside two £1.60 value stamps and retail at £4.60. Fans can pre-order the stamps now; online at www.royalmail.com/cricket and by phone on 03457 641 641. The stamps will available on general sale from Post Offices on 26 September 2019.

This is the first time England’s Men’s and Women’s cricket teams have held both the ICC Cricket World Cup trophies simultaneously.

Royal Mail has also decorated 15 special edition postboxes at each venue used in the tournament to mark the historic achievement of both England teams. The first postbox painted was outside Lord’s Cricket Ground where both sold-out finals were held.

There will also be a special postbox in locations of importance to the captains of both ICC Cricket World Cup winning teams, England Men’s captain Eoin Morgan and the captain of the 2017 Women’s team Heather Knight OBE, as a tribute to leading their teams to victory:

• Bristol County Ground – Bristol
• The Riverside Durham – Chester-le-Street
• Cardiff Wales Stadium – Cardiff
• The County Ground – Derby
• Edgbaston – Edgbaston
• Headingley – Headingley
• Grace Road – Leicester
• The Oval – London, Oval
• Lord’s – London, St John’s Wood
• Old Trafford – Manchester
• Hampshire Bowl – Southampton
• County Ground, Taunton – Taunton
• Trent Bridge – West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
• Eoin Morgan, England Men’s captain’s selected location – London
• Heather Knight OBE, England Women’s captain selected location – Plymstock

[press release]
Captivating Images:
Six Forests of the UK Feature on New Royal Mail Special StampsThe forests that feature are:

• Glen Affric, Inverness-shire
• Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
• Glenariff Forest, County Antrim
• Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Gloucestershire
• Coed y Brenin, Gwynedd
• Kielder Forest, Northumberland

• Forests are valued for their environmental benefits, such as cleaner air, flood prevention and providing habitats for wildlife

• With hundreds of millions of visits per year, the public enjoy woodlands for a range of activities – from walking to birdwatching to mountain biking

• The stamp issue coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Forestry Commission

• The stamps can be ordered now from www.royalmail.com/forests and by phone on 03457 641 641

Royal Mail recently revealed a set of six Special Stamps that capture beautiful and inspirational views of forests from across the four countries of the UK.

Valued for their environmental benefits, such as cleaner air, flood prevention and providing habitats for wildlife, the UK’s forests generate hundreds of millions of visits per year — enabling the public to enjoy woodlands for activities from walking and picnicking to birdwatching and mountain biking.

The stamps showcase the character and varied colours of the nation’s forests and are on general sale from www.royalmail.com/forests and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK.

Featured in the set are images of the following forests: Glen Affric; Sherwood Forest; Glenariff Forest; Westonbirt; The National Arboretum; Coed y Brenin and Kielder Forest.

The stamp launch coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Forestry Commission. Founded on 1st September 1919, the Forestry Commission’s remit was to reforest the UK for timber after the First World War had seen clearances of huge areas for the war effort. It is now the public body responsible for protecting, improving and expanding forests and woodland in England.

Responsibility for forests and woodland across the remainder of the UK has, over the years, devolved to different government agencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As well as providing sustainable timber to UK industry, in the last 50 years the Commission’s focus has grown to embrace other areas. It is active in wildlife conservation, especially endangered bird and butterfly species, and the preservation of National Parks and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

PK Khaira-Creswell, Director, Forestry Commission centenary, said, “Our centenary is all about inspiring people to share our passion for forests and help us protect and improve them for generations to come. We are proud to be custodians of these stunning landscapes, which are indispensable for people and wildlife.”

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “On the Forestry Commission’s centenary these striking new stamps celebrate the beauty and tranquillity of our public woodlands, and the inspiring range of environments which receive hundreds of millions of visits each year.”

Stamp-by-stamp:

Glen Affric
Glen Affric in Inverness-shire, is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland and is a fragment of the once extensive Caledonian Forest. Its rugged Scots pines and graceful birches are the signature trees in a landscape where forest, lochs, river and mountains combine to create the perfect Highland setting, which is breath-taking at any time of year but especially when the birches take on their golden apparel.

Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire is famous for its rich assemblage of ancient oak trees, such as the Major Oak. The atmospheric image on the stamp shows a fine stand of conifers in the early morning light, reflecting the mixed planting found across the whole forest.

Glenariff Forest
Managed by the Forest Service Northern Ireland, Glenariff Forest Park in County Antrim, boasts a beautiful mixture of views and trails that allow the visitor to enjoy a wide variety of walks and activities. Probably the most spectacular of these is the Waterfall Walk, a steep path up the vertical sides of the gorge and along elevated boardwalks taking in a succession of dramatic and world-famous waterfalls.

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is the Forestry Commission’s flagship collection of trees in England. First created by the wealthy Holford family almost 200 years ago, it is one of the most beautiful and diverse botanical collections in the world. The 600-acre (243ha) site with 17 miles (27km) of paths showcases 3,000 tree species, including the Japanese maples seen on the stamp in autumnal colours.

Coed y Brenin
Located near Dolgellau in the Snowdonia National Park, Coed y Brenin is now one of the flagship forests of Natural Resources Wales. Commercial softwood forestry across some 7,650 acres (3,093ha) of Forest Park combines with recreational facilities for mountain-bikers and a network of spectacular scenic trails for hikers, based around the impressive visitor centre.

Kielder Forest
Kielder Forest in Northumberland is the largest human-made forest in Britain, stretching 250 square miles (647sq km); around 75 per cent is covered by trees. The Forestry Commission harvests around 500,000 cubic metres of timber here each year. The felled areas are replanted using a mixture of conifer and broadleaf trees, and parts are left open to create a diversity of habitats.

Forests through the ages:
The first written evidence of forests designated as royal reserves comes from the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded only about 25 of these sites. Most forests known today were established by the 13th century. When the Magna Carta was sealed in 1215, there were almost 150 forests in England alone, amounting to nearly a million acres.

Over time, the Crown relaxed its hold over the forests, and the local landowners and commoners usually came to mutually beneficial modes of forest governance and management.

In the early 20th century, extensive tree felling left the country’s timber resources severely depleted. The First World War in particular had a huge impact; by the end of it, with forests ravaged in support of the war effort, the UK’s woodland cover was at an all-time low of just five per cent. In response, the Forestry Act was passed, and in September 1919 the Government established the Forestry Commission, demonstrating its support for the creation of productive, state-owned forests to replenish the much-depleted supplies of home-grown timber.

The first Forestry Commission trees were planted in Devon’s Eggesford Forest in December 1919, and in the following years a large programme of land acquisition and tree planting took place across the UK. During the 1930s, the Commission’s estate grew to over 900,000 acres (364,217ha) across England, Scotland and Wales, while the demand for timber increased as tensions in Europe mounted once again. By the end of the Second World War, the country had consumed around a third of its timber supplies.

In its centenary year, Forestry Commission England looks after more than 1,500 woods and forests and provides expert advice and guidance regarding forests owned by others. It is the country’s largest landowner, managing diverse landscapes, including forests, heathlands, mountains, moors and urban green spaces. It works closely with Scottish Forestry, Forestry and Land Scotland, Natural Resources Wales and Forest Service Northern Ireland, and it strives to ensure that our forests are as resilient as possible to the threats of climate change, pests and diseases.

[press release]
UK’S Curious Customs Celebrated with a Set of Special Stamps Royal Mail has revealed eight colourful and engaging illustrations, depicting and capturing the spirit of well-known, and some not so well-known, annual customs that take place around the UK. The stamps celebrate the eclectic mix of annual customs and festivals that take place across the UK. Royal Mail worked with award-winning folklorist Steve Roud on the stamp issue

Many of these customs involve dancing, singing, dressing up and – literally – playing with fire.

The curious customs depicted on the stamps are:

• Burning the Clocks, Brighton
• ‘Obby ‘Oss, Padstow
• The World Gurning Championships, Egremont
• Up Helly Aa, Lerwick
• Cheese Rolling, Cooper’s Hill, Brockworth
• Halloween, Derry/Londonderry
• Horn Dance, Abbots Bromley
• Bog Snorkelling, Llanwrtyd Wells

Some customs are often geared to natural stages of the year, or seasons, while others are linked to religious festivals and saints’ days, sporting events or specific occupations.

Due to a remarkable renaissance in the second half of the 20th century, communities began taking renewed pride in their colourful folk heritage. Defunct customs were revived, while others adapted or created events to produce new traditions – for fun and for good causes.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “Communities throughout the UK have been coming together for centuries to share distinctive traditions and mark key dates of the year. These customs continue to evolve, and our new stamps celebrate their diversity and the communities that maintain them.”

To accompany the stamp issue, Royal Mail commissioned a poem by performance poet Matt Harvey. Entitled, ‘Customs and Exercise’, the poem celebrates and commemorates the eight UK customs featured on the stamps.

“Customs and Exercise” by Matt Harvey

No matter what the custom is
We’re accomplices, not customers.
Magnificent participants in quirky endeavour
In curious costumes in inclement weather.

We’re guisers, we’re teasers, we’re chasers of cheeses
Boat-builders, clock burners, we’re vampires, we’re gurners.
We’re match-striking Vikings, we’re antler-lockers
‘Obby ‘Oss swoopers, Elfan safety snook-cockers.
We’re Cheerleaders, chortlers, we’re snorkelers, bog-sodden
We’re Ghouls in cagoules, fools ancient and modern.

It’s a dance with the past, it’s a craic, it’s a laugh.
Connection in every direction, belonging.
We might get a pint and an off-colour song in.

But what can get lost in the mist and missed in the fuss
Is that at the heart of all these customs
Is us.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now from www.royalmail.com/curiouscustoms, by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK

Burning The Clocks, Brighton
Created in 1993 by community arts charity Same Sky, Burning the Clocks is a new custom, based on a parade, designed to promote a feeling of community pride. The procession is open to all, and participants carry the lanterns they have made from paper and willow, often decorated with clock motifs, through the streets and down to the beach. There, the lanterns are passed onto a bonfire, allowing time for reflection and thought to mark the year’s end, and celebrations continue with fireworks. The symbolism of ‘time passing’ is appropriate to the date: 21 December, being the shortest day of the year.

’Obby ’Oss, Padstow
Two strange beasts called Osses (but barely resembling horses) swirl and sway through the streets of the Cornish town of Padstow on May Day accompanied by a host of drummers, musicians and dancers. before finally ‘dying’ at midnight. The first documentary record of this custom dates from 1803.

World Gurning Championships, Egremont
Gurning (or ‘girning’) was a widespread dialect word, from the same root as ‘grinning’, originally signifying ‘snarling’ or ‘baring the teeth in rage’. However, when it was adopted as an entertainment or competition at fairs, gurning took on the meaning of ‘pulling funny or ugly faces’. The Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria was established in 1267, making it one of the oldest fairs in the world. Each September it holds the World Gurning Championships where each contestant’s face is framed within a large horse collar.

Up Helly Aa, Lerwick
An impressive and famous fire festival which is more than 100 years old takes place in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January. People in dress parade through the Shetland town, carrying blazing torches including the Guizer Squad in full Viking attire. A full size wooden Viking longship (built over the preceding year) is pulled through the town and is later ceremonially burned as part of the festivities.

Cheese Rolling, Cooper’s Hill, Brockworth
Chasing a large cheese (or similar round object) down a hill was a widespread game at fairs and wakes in the past. At Cooper’s Hill near Brockworth in Gloucestershire, the fair has long gone, but the rolling game continues every Spring Bank Holiday. None of the contestants has much hope of catching up with the cheese but the first to reach the bottom of the hill wins the prize.

Halloween, Derry/Londonderry
Halloween’s origins are in the Celtic festival of Samhain and a tradition of dressing up and calling at houses for gifts has been common for many centuries. The world’s biggest Halloween Party is in Derry/Londonderry which now welcomes around 80,000 people. It involves parades, fancy dress, ghost walks, fireworks and was named as the world’s best Halloween celebration by a poll for USA Today.

Horn Dance, Abbots Bromley
This famous and ancient custom is unique in Europe. Six men carrying huge reindeer antlers plus characters dressed as Maid Marian, Fool, Hobby Horse and Bowman, celebrate ancient hunting rites. They perambulate the Staffordshire parish and at set places perform a dance. The design of the costumes and the dance have been preserved for hundreds of years, with the earliest reference to the horns dating from the 1630s. The horns have been carbon dated to around 1000 AD.

Bog Snorkelling, Llanwrtyd Wells
First held in 1976 the event involves contestants going across and back through a water-filled trench in a peat bog, with the fastest being the winner. Competitors from all over the world travel to the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells each August to take part. Snorkels are essential as participants must remain submerged and only use flippers to propel themselves. This is an excellent example of a modern calendar custom based on a unique sporting event.

Issue Date May 24, 2019

[from a Royal Mail press release]
Queen Victoria Bicentenary We mark two significant bicentenaries in 2019 – the birth of both Queen Victoria and of her husband Prince Albert. Queen Victoria’s reign was the second longest in British royal history and the era named after her saw dramatic social, political and economic change. We mark this anniversary with stamps that chart the life of Victoria from Princess to Empress, and the accompanying miniature sheet stamps celebrate the legacy of Prince Albert.

Products:
Stamps AS4583 £7.30
Miniature Sheet MZ141 £4.50
Presentation Pack AP460 £12.60
FDC – Stamps AF445 £9.35
FDC – Minisheet MF138 £6.00
FDC – PSB Pane HF087 £5.20
Stamp Souvenir AW111 £9.35
Stamp Sheet Souvenir AW112 £6.00
First Day Envelope AE400 £0.30
Prestige Stamp Book YB084 £17.20
Press Sheet PZ040 £74.25
Postcards AQ277 £4.95
BU £5 Coin Cover AN161 £19.95
Silver £5 Coin Cover AN162 £82.50
Gold £5 Coin Cover AN163 £1,995

Stamp Technical Details:
Number of stamps: Six
Design: Webb & Webb Design
Acknowledgements: Queen Victoria by Baron Heinrich von Angeli, Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019; Queen Victoria with Benjamin Disraeli by Theodore Blake Wirgman © The Forbes Magazine Collection, New York/Bridgeman Images; Queen Victoria on Horseback with John Brown by Charles Burton Barber © The Forbes Magazine Collection, New York/Bridgeman Images; Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019; The Marriage of Queen Victoria by Sir George Hayter, Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019; Queen Victoria when a Girl by Richard Westall, Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019
Stamp Format: Square
Stamp Size: 35mm x 35mm
Number per sheet: 30/60
Printer: International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: 14.5 x 14.5
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

Values / Descriptions:
1st Class Head and shoulders portrait of Queen Victoria by Heinrich Von Angeli in 1890.
1st Class A painting of Queen Victoria and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli at Osborne House in 1878.
£1.35 Painting of Queen Victoria depicted on horseback with servant, John Brown, dated 1876.
£1.35 Portrait of Queen Victoria wearing the Robes of State dated 1859
£1.60 The marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dated 1840
£1.60 Queen Victoria as a young girl with her terrier, Fanny, dated 1830

Minisheet Technical Details:Number of stamps: Four
Design: Common Curiosity
Acknowledgements: Background image – Albert Prince Consort © Hulton Fine Art Collection/Getty Images; Model Lodge, Kennington, Private Collection/© Look and Learn/Illustrated Papers Collection/Bridgeman Images; Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Private Collection/© Look and Learn/Bridgeman Images; The New Crystal Palace, Sydenham © Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images; Royal Albert Hall, London, Private Collection/© Look and Learn/Peter Jackson Collection/Bridgeman Images
Miniature sheet size: 146mm x 74mm
Stamp Format: Landscape
Stamp Size: 41mm x 30mm
Printer: International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: 14.5 x 14
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

Value / Description:
1st Class Model Lodge, Kennington
1st Class Balmoral Castle, Scotland
£1.55 The New Crystal Palace, Sydenham
£1.55 Royal Albert Hall, London
Background Image Albert Prince Consort

Presentation Pack (No. 571):
The Presentation Pack contains all six special stamps plus the Legacy of Prince Albert miniature sheet in a separate carrier. The pack includes an illustrated biography of Queen Victoria reflecting on her life on one side and her long period of mourning following the death of Prince Albert on the other.

[press release]
British Engineering Celebrated with New Special Stamps from Royal Mail
Issue Date: May 2, 2019

• • The 10-stamp set features marvels of British engineering from the last 50 years
  • From the smallest of computers, the Raspberry Pi, to the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift, Britain has a long and proud history of engineering
  • Also included are: the three-way catalytic converter; superconducting magnets and the monumental tunnel boring project that will enable Crossrail
  • Completing the main six-stamp set is the synthetic bone-graft devised by Dr Karin Hing at Queen Mary University of London
  • Also featured is the Harrier Jump Jet, celebrating 50 years since it entered RAF service. Four stamps, presented in a Miniature Sheet, show the first operational jet fighter in the world to use revolutionary vertical short take-off and landing technology
  • Royal Mail worked with the Royal Academy of Engineering on the stamp set
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available from www.royalmail.com/britishengineering, by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK

  Royal Mail has revealed 10 new Special Stamps to mark Britain’s long and proud history of engineering excellence.

  World-class inventions and innovations have had a huge impact on many aspects of modern life, from medicine and computing to travel and infrastructure. The last 50 years have produced many marvels of British engineering, from the smallest of computers, the Raspberry Pi, to the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift.

  At just the size of a credit card, the Raspberry Pi might be tiny, but with sales of over 20 million these microcomputers have revolutionised education in computer science and programming worldwide.

  A collaboration of British engineers and architects produced the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel, joining two major Scottish canals for the first time in 70 years with a phenomenally beautiful structure.

  Today cars are far less polluting than they were 50 years ago, due to three-way catalytic converters scrubbing car exhausts of harmful gases.

  Chris Morgan, Technology Director at Johnson Matthey, commented: “Being recognised with a stamp celebrating British Engineering is a huge honour for employees past and present who have been involved in Johnson Matthey’s ground-breaking work behind the Catalytic Converter. Every year, our catalytic converters prevent some 20 million tonnes of pollutants from entering the atmosphere, helping to make the world cleaner and healthier.”

  MRI scanners, on which we now rely for routine imaging of our bodies, would not be possible without the work done with superconducting magnets by British engineers at Oxford Instruments.

  The monumental tunnel boring project that will enable Crossrail, required 13 miles (21km) of twin tunnels under the city, and navigated existing sewers, Tube train tunnels and building foundations.

  The team at Queen Mary University of London led by Dr Karin Hing, engineered materials that encourage bone growth when used in complex orthopaedic surgeries and have improved the outcomes for hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide.

  Dr Karin Hing said: “It was a delightful surprise and a huge honour for my work on synthetic bone grafts to be recognised with a stamp and, in particular, to be part of a set which celebrates some incredible innovations in British engineering. I feel very fortunate that my research has gone on to have such a positive impact on people’s lives, but this would not have been possible without multidisciplinary collaboration. Having our engineering of synthetic bone grafts celebrated on a stamp like the Marvel Comics and the Harry Potter books might even impress my kids.”

  Completing the issue, is another of the UK’s many success stories – the Harrier Jump Jet, designed and produced by Hawker Siddeley, which entered service with the RAF 50 years ago. It remains one of the few operational aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing. More advanced Harriers developed by British Aerospace (later BAE Systems) and McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing) were used by the militaries of a number of countries.

• This cross-section of engineering marvels showcases the ingenuity of engineers working in the UK.Some of the innovations celebrated have won the MacRobert Award, bestowed by the Royal Academy of Engineering – the UK’s most prestigious and longest running award for engineering excellence. The award marks its 50th birthday this year.Dr Dame Sue Ion DBE FREng FRS, Chair of Judges for the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award, said: “The UK is a global engineering powerhouse with many world firsts developed here that have both benefitted our economy and helped to transform people’s lives for the better. This wonderful new set of Royal Mail stamps perfectly encapsulates the technical and commercial achievements made by British engineers over the last 50 years, from the Harrier jump jet to Raspberry Pi. These great British engineering innovations – several of which have won the MacRobert Award, the UK’s biggest prize for engineering innovation – represent an amazing foundation from which to develop exciting technologies for the future.”Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “British innovation in engineering is world renowned. This stamp issue proudly celebrates the projects and inventions which showcase this, as well as demonstrating the extraordinary range of disciplines that British engineers excel in.”

  Raspberry Pi
  The Raspberry Pi has sparked a worldwide revolution in low-cost computing. At the size of a credit card and with prices starting at £5, these award-winning microcomputers pack a mighty punch. Since February 2012, over 20 million have been sold, making the Raspberry Pi Britain’s bestselling computer. The beauty of this ingenious microcomputer lies in its versatility. The device features USB ports, onboard memory, video output, audio output and Internet connectivity. Its general purpose input/output connectors allow for other capabilities, such as sensors and actuators, to be hooked up to its tiny processors, so that the only limit is the user’s imagination. From a Sony factory in South Wales, Raspberry Pis have reached all corners of the globe and even gone into space.

  The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a charitable company working to overhaul how computing is taught in schools. It offers free learning resources on its website, as well as supporting teacher training courses and over 10,000 code clubs across the world to encourage young people to experiment with computer science. Although the Raspberry Pi was originally intended as an educational resource, the adult maker and hacking communities have also embraced it, and its applications seem endless. From landmine-clearing robots to home irrigation systems, and from heart monitors to experimentation on the International Space Station, the Raspberry Pi has transformed the computing landscape and was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering’s MacRobert Award in 2017.

  The Falkirk Wheel
  The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, vertically connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. The two waterways were once connected by a series of 11 locks, which took almost a day to traverse, but these were dismantled in 1933. As part of the Millennium Link project, the British Waterways Board teamed up with Arup, Butterley Engineering and RMJM architects to reconnect the canals after 70 years with a 21st-century landmark structure.

  The Union Canal extends out of the countryside via an aqueduct to meet the top of the wheel, which consists of two opposing arms whose design was inspired by a double-headed Celtic axe and a ship’s propeller. On the end of each arm is a water-filled caisson that can hold up to four canal boats, plus enough water to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool. The weight on each arm must be carefully balanced. According to Archimedes’ principle, boats entering the caisson will displace their own weight in water. Therefore, water levels in the caissons are precisely computer controlled, with a tolerance of only 37mm. This equalisation allows ten hydraulic motors to turn the wheel using very little energy – half a turn uses the equivalent of boiling eight kettles to raise boats 35m in just four minutes.

  Three-way catalytic converter
  Catalytic converters clean the emissions from vehicles that have internal combustion engines. In the early 1980s, British company Johnson Matthey pioneered the three-way catalytic converter. This type is now fitted to petrol-powered vehicles worldwide and the company is a world leader, supplying about a third of these globally. The technology converts toxic pollutants into milder gases, making the air we breathe cleaner and healthier. The three-way catalytic converter turns carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen into carbon dioxide, water and nitrogen. It does this with the use of metallic catalysts containing platinum, palladium and rhodium that are coated onto a ceramic honeycomb ‘monolith’ through which the exhaust gases flow. The efficiency of the three simultaneous reactions going on inside the three-way converter relies on a precise ratio of air and fuel in the engine’s injection system.

  This important balance is controlled electronically, using constant feedback from oxygen sensors in the exhaust to ensure that the optimum air-to-fuel ratio is being burnt for the most efficient exhaust conversion. This feedback system has a slight lag, so in reality the ratio fluctuates above and below the ideal proportions. A cerium oxide component in the catalyst helps to correct for these fluctuations, allowing the overall emissions of harmful exhaust gases to be massively reduced. Thanks to catalytic converter technologies such as this, today’s passenger vehicles are far less polluting than those of 50 years ago. Johnson Matthey Group was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering’s MacRobert Award in 1980 for this innovation.

  Crossrail
  Crossrail is the name of the project that created a new railway line through London, linking Reading and Heathrow Airport in the west with the City and Essex in the east. The prediction is that once it is up and running, the Elizabeth line (as it was named in 2016) will be used by 200 million passengers annually, increasing the rail capacity of central London by 10 per cent and bringing 1.5 million more people within a 45-minute commute of the city’s key areas. The project represented a monumental engineering challenge, requiring 13 miles (21km) of new twin tunnels to be bored under the city. These had to weave through the existing underground networks of Tube train tunnels, underground stations, sewers and buildings.

  At Tottenham Court Road station, the tunnel passed between the Northern line and an escalator tunnel with less than 1m clearance either side, a feat nicknamed ‘the eye of the needle’. Tunnelling was completed in 2015 and was achieved using eight Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines, which excavated and removed 3.4 million tonnes of material. In partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), 3 million tonnes were moved to Essex to create the Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project.

  Superconducting magnet for MRI
  Today, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used routinely in hospitals around the world to generate pictures of the insides of our bodies to help diagnose maladies such as cancer, internal bleeding or infections. This revolutionary, non-invasive technique would not be possible without powerful superconducting magnets, which were first developed in the 1960s and in the 1970s applied to body scanning by Sir Martin Wood of Oxford Instruments. The first electromagnet was invented by British scientist William Sturgeon in 1824, and today’s superconducting magnets are based on the same principles.

  A superconducting magnet is made up of a large coil of wire that, when electricity is passed through it, produces a strong magnetic field thanks to the laws of electromagnetism. The coil itself is made from very thin filaments of a niobium-titanium alloy, which are embedded in a copper matrix. This material becomes superconductive if it is cooled to below ten kelvins (–263ºC). In this state, it has nearly zero electrical resistance and, once created, the magnetic field is self-sustaining – it does not require external power during operation. To achieve these cryogenic temperatures, the superconducting coil is cooled using liquid helium and is insulated from the warmth of its surroundings by a vacuum. In this way, the coils in MRI machines can produce magnetic fields that are around 50,000 times that of the Earth’s magnetic field. The Royal Academy of Engineering awarded Oxford Instruments the MacRobert Prize in 1986 for their work on superconducting magnets.

  Synthetic bone-graft substitute
  When bones fracture, they are often able to heal themselves. But sometimes the fracture is too large or complex for the body to repair on its own, so bone grafts are used in surgery to promote bone healing. These grafts can be either taken from the patient’s own body (auto-graft) or engineered (synthetic bone-graft substitute). Whereas an auto-graft introduces a natural template and new living bone cells into the area, a synthetic bone graft must bioactively encourage native bone and stem cells to form new bone tissue, which should eventually replace the synthetic scaffold material completely.

  Dr Karin Hing and the team at Queen Mary University of London developed bone-graft substitutes able to enhance the body’s natural ability to rebuild bone tissue by looking at their structure and chemistry. The team studied the sponge-like structure of cancellous bone and mimicked it in the synthetic material. The pores needed to be the right size for new bone to grow into as well as interconnected, to allow for the exchange of nutrients via blood vessels to make and sustain healthy tissue. The group is also investigating the role of the grafts’ chemistry on bone regeneration, where the introduction of silicate ions into the scaffold is believed to alter the surface chemistry so that the right proteins are recruited to direct cell attachment and bone formation. This work resulted in the commercial launch of the bioactive synthetic bone grafts Actifuse™ and Inductigraft™. Dr Hing was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Silver Medal in 2011 for her work.

  Harrier Jump Jet
  The Hawker Siddeley Harrier was developed from a unique experimental aircraft known as the P 1127, which was capable of taking off and landing vertically. In 1962, British, US and German armed forces procured nine of these aircraft to form a Tri-Partite Evaluation Squadron at RAF West Raynham. Now called Kestrels, these aircraft could take off and land using paved runways, semi-prepared sites in clearings in woods and other confined spaces.

  The success of the trials and the exciting concept of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), led to the UK Ministry of Defence ordering a batch of the aircraft in 1965. These were the first Harriers, entering RAF service with No. 1 Squadron in April 1969. Over the next 30 years, British Aerospace (later BAE Systems) developed Harriers for extremely effective ground attack. They could drop precision-guided weapons and operate in poor weather using the latest radar, infrared and optical devices. Because of their remarkable take-off ability, they became known as Harrier Jump Jets.

  Rolls-Royce developed the innovative Pegasus engine of the Harrier, and for this they shared the first MacRobert Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1969. Photographer Richard Cook captured a Harrier GR3 especially for the stamps.

  The stamps and a range of collectible products are available from www.royalmail.com/britishengineering, by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices throughout the UK.

[press release]
Issue Date: 4th April 2019Products/Price/Code

• Stamps (10 x 1st class) £7.00 AS4431
• First Day Cover Stamps £9.00 AF443
• Presentation Pack £7.80 AP458
• Stamp Souvenir £9.00 AW101
• First Day Envelope £0.30 AE398
• Set of 10 Postcards £4.50 AQ275
• Retail Stamp Book £4.20 UB422
• Framed set of 10 stamps £29.99 N3162
• Signed, framed set of 10 stamps £59.99 N3163
• Limited edition, blow up print of Peregrine £69.99 N3169

The StampsPrice: £7.00 / Code: AS4431
Each bird was individually photographed by well-known and leading British animal photographer, Tim Flach, at the International Centre for Birds of Prey.

Details on each bird:

White-tailed Eagle — Haliaeetus albicilla
This very large eagle catches fish or sea birds with a low, slow approach, dropping its feet into the water to snatch the prey and then taking it to shore. These eagles were persecuted to extinction by 1918, but in 1975 a release programme was started on R˘m in Scotland. The population in Scotland is now around 60 breeding pairs, with over 200 adult birds. Since eagles readily feed on carrion, they get blamed for killing animals they are unlikely to kill. The financial benefit to Scotland from tourists coming to photograph these stunning birds is approximately £5 million a year.

Merlin — Falco columbarius
The merlin, which belongs to the falcon family, is the smallest UK raptor and can be found during the spring and summer on the uplands, nesting on the ground underneath heather. A specialist bird-catcher, it feeds its young on larks and meadow pipits in the summer. Females are brown, as are juveniles, while adult males have a blue-grey back. Once the autumn arrives, these birds move to lowlands, in a partial migration, for the winter. Since merlins are fast, agile and small, they are not commonly seen, but energetic young make a spectacular ringing flight after larks.

Hobby — Falco Subbuteo
Larger than the merlin, this little falcon migrates to the UK from Africa in the spring to breed. With its long, sickle-shaped wings, it resembles a giant swift and is incredibly nimble in flight. Feeding on dragonflies and other insects, the hobby is often seen near large bodies of water. It nests using abandoned crowsí nests, and during the breeding season it hunts for swallows and swifts to feed its young. Once the young are able to fly and can hunt for themselves, hobbies migrate with the swallows back to Africa.

Buzzard — Buteo buteo
By the 1970s, the common (or Eurasian) buzzard was rare in the UK other than in the far west. Since then, however, there has been a huge increase thanks to more nesting areas and to rabbits surviving myxomatosis, and buzzards are now breeding in every county. Buzzards are usually seen on fi ne days soaring and calling, with a mewing cry, or sitting on poles, on fences by roads or on the ground, particularly when ploughed in the winter. They scavenge roadkill, which can cause them traffic injuries, or feed on insects on the ground. There is enormous colour variation in this species, from almost all cream to very dark brown.

Golden Eagle — Aquila chrysaetos
The golden eagle prefers remote moorlands and mountains in Scotland, usually nesting on cliff ledges. It soars over the Highlands, catching rabbits, hares and birds with its very powerful feet. It also consumes carrion, in some areas being reliant on dead animals during the winter. Golden eagles pair for life. Of the two eggs that the female lays, one chick rarely survives, the other fl edging at about three-and-a-half months. Juveniles have a mottled white and brown tail with a black band, which turns brown over the years. The golden feathers that give this eagle its name are on the head and the neck.

Kestrel — Falco tinnunculus
Once the UKís most common raptor, observed hovering by roads and motorways, this falcon has seen a decrease of 40 per cent over the past two decades. A key reason for the decline is the lack of sufficient nest sites and suitable grasslands for hunting. Kestrels are characterised by a beautiful chestnut-red colour over their bodies. The female has a red tail with bars, while the adult male has a grey head and grey tail with a black band at its tip. These birds are best known for hunting mice and voles by hovering, often descending in stages to drop on their prey.

Goshawk — Accipiter gentilis
This aggressive, forest-dwelling hunter was probably extinct as a breeder until the middle of the 20th century. Its wing shape allows it to twist and turn through trees, and its long legs and powerful feet are well suited to hunting birds and mammals up to the size of a hare, with a short, often surprise attack. Adults are grey and white, with fi ne horizontal bars on the breast, while juveniles are brown, with vertical brown stripes. Goshawks build large stick nests and lay up to four eggs. The parents are vocal in the spring, when they can sometimes be seen soaring high in good weather.

Sparrowhawk — Accipiter nisus
This little hawk is most commonly seen in gardens catching small birds. Its defining features are very long, thin legs and yellow eyes. Males are tiny in comparison to females. Both hunt birds, but females can take birds up to the size of a pigeon. The sparrowhawk is often blamed, wrongly, for the demise of small birds, while in fact it is cats, cars, windows and pesticides that are responsible. Sparrowhawks build a stick nest and rear up to five young. The young grow swiftly and become independent by the age of 14 weeks, although onlyabout a third survive their first year.

Red Kite — Milvus milvus
By 1903, red kites had been persecuted close to extinction, with the last few remaining in the mountains of Wales, when a farmer started to feed them. Now, with four feeding stations, there are 900 pairs in Wales. There have been very successful translocation programmes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so kites are now seen soaring together in many places. Long wings, a long, forked tail and red colour make the red kite easy to identify. These birds are mainly scavengers, feeding on roadkill and animal remains. They have small feet for their body size, which limits the prey they can catch.

Peregrine Falcon — Falco peregrinus
Brought to low numbers by pesticides in the middle of the 20th century, the peregrine has recovered dramatically. Many peregrines are now urban birds, nesting on cathedrals, other tall buildings and bridges. Probably the fastest living creature, the peregrine hunts birds up to the size of large gulls, almost always on the wing. It has a short tail and long, pointed wings. The juveniles are brown, while the adults have a grey-blue back. In the UK, these birds are sedentary, but peregrines in other areas can be migratory, and they are the most widely spread raptors worldwide.