ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED

Annual Report presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 12 of the Postal Services Act 2011

Annual Report on Postal Heritage 2018-2019

Annual Reporton Postal Heritage2018-19

Royal Mail Group Limited

Annual Report presented to Parliament pursuant to

Section 12 of the Postal Services Act 2011

ContentsThe Chairman’s foreword

1. Introduction

2. Our Aims – progress

3. The new Postal Museum & Mail Rail

4. How The Postal Museum supports Royal Mail Group & Post Office Limited

5. Britain’s Most Scenic Mail Routes

6. The History of the Post Office

7. Royal Mail Special Stamps

8. 2019-20 - Watch this space

For the purpose of brevity, in this report, the following abbreviations may be applied:

• Royal Mail Group – RMG• Post Office Limited – POL• The Postal Museum – TPM

Foreword by Keith WilliamsThis is the eighth annual report to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on Postal Heritage, prepared in consultation with The Postal Museum (TPM) (formerly known as the British Postal Museum & Archive) and Post Office Limited (POL).

Over the last year there have been many changes in Royal Mail Group (RMG), including the retirement of Moya Greene after more than eight years as our Chief Executive Officer. Moya’s successor is Rico Back who has been a senior RMG executive and CEO of GLS for 18 years. RMG has 162,000 employees worldwide and operates in 44 countries and nation states, with 1.9 billion parcels delivered during 2018-19. Our new corporate strategy is about transforming our business so that we can continue to meet changing consumer need. During the last year the organisation reached an important milestone in raising £1 million for

Action for Children since the start of our relationship. We were also thrilled to receive the Platinum Payroll Giving Quality Mark. This is just one aspect of our charitable activity that our employees are committed to supporting.

This report will look at the Special Stamps that we released during 2018; the history of the Post Office; and some of the exciting events at TPM over the last year. I hope you enjoy reading this report. If you have an opportunity to visit the Postal Museum and Mail Rail, I would strongly recommend doing so.

Keith WilliamsChairman, Royal Mail Group PLCDecember 2019

IntroductionTPM is the public identity of the Postal Heritage Trust, established in 2004 to manage the public records of RMG and POL and to develop access to the former National Postal Museum’s collections. TPM is an independent educational charity. It is supported on a long-term basis by RMG and POL, with agreements for 25 years of financial support. The Trust relies on further charitable donations to undertake its work in full. Under Section 12 of the Postal Services Act 2011 (PSA) RMG, after consultation with POL, is obliged to report annually to the Secretary of State and Parliament on their work regarding the Museum collection and archive. This provision was included in the PSA to ensure transparency about postal heritage activity following the structural changes enabled by the PSA.

This report looks at some of the activities and work that RMG and TPM have carried out from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 to celebrate and preserve Britain’s postal heritage. RMG celebrated a number of significant anniversaries last year with the release of Special Stamp collections. The report also looks at some of the most scenic postal routes and provides an insight into the history of the Post Office.

1Keith Williams,Chairman of Royal Mail Group

The Postal MuseumOne of our most scenic postal routes

One of six Special Stamps for the Reintroduced Series

HRH Prince Michael of Kent at The Postal Musuem

32Our Aims – ProgressOur aims were defined in the 2011-12 report and remain as follows:

1. We, the Royal Mail and Post Office Limited, will work together with the aim of ensuring the long term sustainability and viability of The Postal Museum and Mail Rail. RMG and POL have continued to support TPM financially due to their commitment to a long-term financial agreement completed in 2013. In 2014 a 25-year lease was agreed with RMG who are the legal owners of Mail Rail, which was the Post Office Underground Rail and has now been opened as a public attraction.

2. We will work with TPM towards sustaining our postal heritage for the nation. RMG and POL continue to provide support, advice and guidance through effective partnership, working to ensure that TPM achieves its full potential and maximum effect in safeguarding and providing access to Britain’s iconic postal history.

3. We will seek to ensure that our heritage is cared for and managed, for the nation, by qualified professionals. RMG, POL and TPM staff are qualified and experienced professionals, who continue to work in partnership to ensure that records forming Britain’s postal heritage are identified, protected and preserved throughout their lifecycle.

4. We will work hard to meet the relevant standards and best practice. RMG, TPM and POL ensure that all policies, standards and best practice are kept up to date and communicated to the business and relevant stakeholders.

5. We will comply with our obligations under law. Although RMG are now a private company, it continues to preserve its historical records. POL remains a public body. RMG, POL and TPM aim to comply with all applicable legislation, standards and regulations.

6. We will strive to make our collections accessible to the widest possible audience using both physical and electronic means. TPM supports both RMG and POL providing an archiving service ensuring that records and artefacts of historical and research importance are preserved and made available to the public in accordance with the Public Records Act 1958 (PRA). The Postal Museum, which opened in 2017, hosts exhibitions and activities based upon the history of the postal service and is still attracting high volumes of visitors.

The new Postal Museum& Mail RailThe Postal Museum During the first year of TPM opening the number of visitors increased from 3,000 (in its old premises) to 198,750 – 107% of its first-year target. TPM achieved Archive Service Accredited Status in March. The accreditation means that TPM’s archiving service for RMG and POL meets the required national standard, defining good practice for an Approved Place of Deposit. Approved Place of Deposit status is required in order for TPM to store specific records under Section 4 (1) of the Public Records Act. Section 3 (6) of the PRA allows for TPM to receive presentation and gifts donated to the archive and museum.

TPM was assessed on how it meets the requirements set out in each of the three areas of the Accreditation:

• Organisational Health

• Collections

• Stakeholder and their Experiences

The feedback from The National Archives who completed the assessment was very positive. The panel of assessors congratulated the TPM team on the success of delivering the Museum and Mail Rail project. The assessors praised the competence and enthusiasm of TPM staff and believe that they are ready to take on new challenges building upon the recommendations made by the assessors. These challenges include the management of digital records which TPM have already started investigating with RMG and POL.

During 2018-19 the Archive Discovery Room received over 6,000 visitors either to view historical records or attend ‘mini-exhibitions such as the centenary of the sinking of RMS Leinster and Boy Messengers. Visitors also had the opportunity to attend presentations about RMS Leinster and postal workers who were disabled during WW1. Visitors to either the Discovery Room or the TPM Internet site are interested in a wide variety of subjects particularly Family History, Philatelic and Military History.

TPM was announced as a finalist in the Museum of the Year Award in 2018. The competition supported by Art Fund with a prize of £100,000, has been running for the last six years. Tate St Ives was named as the 2018 winner at a ceremony at the Victoria and Albert Museum in July.

Simon Opie, interim CEO at TPM at the time, said: “Just being shortlisted for this incredible award is a fantastic honour, and recognition of the work the team has done in putting our brand-new museum on the map.”

To celebrate reaching the final of the prestigious Museum of the Year, a mural by local street artist Atma Art, was commissioned. The mural showcases Britain’s postal heritage with an iconic image of a postman out on delivery in the 1930s.

Matt Dufour, Atma Art said: “I was completely blown away by the surprising story of the British post when I visited the museum.”

Family Learning Workshops

Celebratory mural showcasing Britain’s postal heritage, created by street artist Atma Art.

Jolly Postman Workshop PromotionalMail Rail at The Postal Museum

Visitors of Mail Rail can explore original machinery that was used

The British Postal Museum Store

4

Voices from the Deep exhibition

Restoration of Mail Coach wheels

Martin Longhurst assisting with the Mail Rail Staff Database

Mail RailMail Rail has been running for over a year now and has attracted large numbers of visitors. An audio guide was introduced in the spring, providing tour information in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian to support visitation from the diverse tourist market in London.

The train stops at certain points of its journey so that visitors can view short informative films relating to the history of mail projected onto the tunnel walls.

Once the journey has ended there are many interactive displays and activities for visitors to engage with. These include racing against the clock to sort mail on a travelling post office that is simulated as though it is on its journey.

In the Mail Rail exhibition, visitors can explore original machinery and trains that delivered the mail underneath London for over 80 years. As well as learning about how Mail Rail worked, visitors can explore the wider journey of the mail by rail through hands on interactives.

Sarah Blacker, Director of Information Governance & DPO at RMG, said: “Being relatively new to Royal Mail I found the Mail Rail a fascinating, insightful and unique journey into the history and legacy of the organisation. I learnt so much about what is an essential and often unappreciated part of our country’s heritage. Congratulations and thanks to all those who have created this super experience. I would urge those who haven’t been on it to book a visit soon.”

How The Postal Museum supports Royal Mail Group and Post Office Limited with Legal Compliance and Corporate Social ResponsibilityTPM has Archive Service Agreements in place with both RMG and POL which ensures that they continue to provide the advice and assistance for the management of the postal heritage archives.

Mail Rail Staff DatabaseTPM has commenced work on a project to create a database of staff who worked on the railway from its opening in 1927 through to its closure. The database will include the employee’s name, job, when and where they worked, for how long, a short account of their time working there and hopefully some photographs. The database will be available to researchers and could potentially be used in exhibitions and education. Martin Longhurst joined the Post Office in 1981 at the age of 17 as an Apprentice Electrical Technician. He is now helping TPM on the project, contacting other former Mail Rail employees.

ExhibitionsVoices from the Deep was open to the public between 29 March 2018 and ran until 30 June 2019. The exhibition revealed forgotten letters that were recently recovered from the sunken

British India Steam Navigation Co, Ltd.’s SS Gairsoppa. The ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat off the coast of Ireland on 16 February 1941. Over 700 personal letters were trapped at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in the sunken ship for almost 75 years. The letters survived because they had been preserved in an airlock that formed as the ship sank.

Among the letters were some written by soldiers to their loved ones. Others were to businessmen and missionaries, offering a unique insight into the lives of ordinary people, living in extraordinary circumstances during the Second World War. Also on display was a silver ingot that was on its way from colonial India to the UK to help with the war effort. Visitors could watch original footage of the recovery of the ship and use UV torch lights to reveal snippets of fragmented letters, mimicking the rescue mission’s search lights.

Sarah Blacker

Finishing touches being made to theexhibition before opening

Restoration of the Mail Coach wheels commenced on 18 March 2019 thanks to generous support from The Pilgrim Trust, The Leche Trust, Mr Graham Buckland, the London Museum Development Measuring Up Programme and other individual donors.

Fairbourne Carriages started work on the wheels of the 18th-century horse-drawn Mail Coach on display at the museum. The wooden carriage wheels had suffered damage caused by the poor road surfaces during its original use and whilst being used for various events in the years since then. The wheels had dried and shrunk, which is normal with horse-drawn vehicles. Most require new wheels and steel tyres during their lifetime, particularly when they are as old as the Mail Coach.

The wheels were removed whilst on display at TPM so visitors could watch some of the work in progress. They were then taken to the Fairbourne workshops and respectfully restored to their former glory. They are now back in their rightful place on the Mail Coach in the museum. To compliment this work TPM developed a display of various tools from c.1900 that would have been used to make the wheels back in the day and are still used today.

Family LearningThe family learning programme has been hugely successful with both adults and children. During the first year of TPM opening, 4,552 adults and children participated. Activities and workshops included storytelling, arts and crafts, gallery actors and artist-led sessions. All were well-received by attendees.

The Mail Rail Family Trail, a self-led family trail around the depot available to all visitors, was illustrated and co-developed with children’s story book illustrator Salvatore Rubbino. The trail

takes wannabe engineers around the underground Mail Rail exhibition.

TPM regularly hosts story telling events. These include that of Henry Cole, who created the first commercial Christmas card in 1843, told by Olivia Armstrong. The museum also delivered a British Sign Language Storytelling day in collaboration with the Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children to deaf children and their families.

TPM’s Community Learning Manager has been working on a project with Ambitious about Autism, the national charity for children and young people with autism. The project engaged six young people with autism to co-develop a social story, pre-visit film and a pre-visit information pack. Workshops, held every alternate month, delivered skills-based activities to highlight sector career options to the group such as cataloguing.

Feedback from evaluation surveys of the family learning programme was very positive, with comments including:

“Was a great day out for all the family. Enjoyed the exhibition, mail rail and especially the art workshop. Awesome activities to keep kids occupied for the full day. Well done!”

“Looking for an interesting and different day out for my grandchildren on holiday from Singapore, I came across the Postal Museum. It has exceeded our expectations, a totally amazing experience for the whole family. I will come again with other family members.”

The success of the family programme was recognised by the shortlisting for the 2018 Kids in Museum, Family Friendly Museum award. This is the biggest museum award in Britain. TPM unfortunately lost out to Leeds City

Ambitious about Autism is a charity for children and young people with autism

Museum, but it was still a huge achievement to have been part of an 11-strong shortlist from an initial pool of 75 museums nominated across the UK.

In November 2018 TPM won the Day Out With the Kids Family Favourites Award for Best Day Out for Under 5s in London. Over 20,000 families who voted for the awards selected TPM as the best day out for Under 5s in London, based upon the appeal of their gallery spaces and extensive family programme.

Community EngagementThe Community Learning Manager and Exhibition and Learning Assistant delivered Phase 4 of the Flower Press project, in collaboration with the Houses of Parliament, artist Ella Phillips and the Flower Press Social Enterprise. The focus of the 12-week project was to mark 100 years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act. The project involved visits to TPM, The Houses of Parliament, Hackney Museum and food-foraging workshops. They worked with 17 women, all survivors of abuse or trafficking, and the aim was to inspire the women to make positive changes to their own lives, build resilience, and alleviate social isolation. Through taking part in the project the women learned new skills and knowledge, and they reported that their confidence and mental health improved.

“The project has been so beneficial to my mental health, its empowered me to keep going. I looked forward to each trip which brought me to places that I wouldn’t have thought to go. I have learnt so many new skills and I am forever thankful.”

In 2018 TPM and Mouth that Roars (a youth media organisation) successfully applied for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)

‘Young Roots’ funding stream for a partnership project working with a group of autistic young people. The intergenerational, cross-cultural film project explored the history and heritage behind today’s digital communication and included visits to the Museum and Mail Rail to explore postal history. The young people produced two films that were debuted at a film screening in the Mail Rail depot at the end of project celebration event.

“I learnt a lot at the screening, you should all be proud of yourselves.”

“Amazing to see the progress of the MTR young people and see how much work went into making such great films,”

TPM was a key partner in the UCL led Museums on Prescription project. The 10-week project involved working with socially isolated adults, who gained behind-the-scenes insights into the development of the Museum. The project won the ‘Educational Initiative’ category of the Museums and Heritage Awards, as well as two prestigious Royal Society of Public Health Awards for ‘Health & Wellbeing’ and ‘Arts and Health’ (with a special commendation for ‘Sustainable Development’).

Schools ProgrammesIn 2018 TPM received the Sandford Award for Learning, which is an independently judged, quality assured assessment of education programmes based in museums and other places that deliver heritage learning. TPM hosted 253 classes, totalling 6,558 school pupils and teachers from primary schools and secondary schools and a growing number from Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools, Early Years setting and nurseries.

Mail Rail Family Trail

Kids in Museum Award

Museums on Prescription

Flower Press Social Enterprise project

As part of the school programme TPM offer self-led visits or facilitated workshops as well as a ride on Mail Rail and its associated activities underground.

Postcards From The Park’s Past – In partnership with The Royal Parks, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this two-part schools project featured artist-led workshops in six London primary schools. The project included designing WW1 postcards and a visit to the pop-up Home Depot in Regent’s Park to work a shift and meet actors in role as WW1 postal workers.

The Jolly Postman – this programme was shortlisted for Museums and Heritage Award in the category of Educational Initiative. The programme is a literacy learning programme inspired by the Jolly Postman. Songs, rhyme, mime and movement bring the story to life as the children become a team of jolly posties. The children can also step back in time on a mission

to collect and sort letters from the museum collection and make mysterious deliveries to reveal clues that tell stories from the past. Those who complete the activity trail earn stickers upon completion. Feedback from the schools was excellent.

“Perfect balance of presentation and participation. There wasn’t one part the children didn’t enjoy! When the umbrella popped open and leaves fell out, all the children gasped and were excited for what was going to happen next.” Altmore Infant School

“The children were so engaged throughout. A super interactive experience. They loved it! So visual. Fantastic for ALL learners – even SEN.” St Bernadette’s Primary School

5Britain’s Most Scenic Mail RoutesRoyal Mail deliver mail to over 30 million addresses, some of which are located on the most scenic postal routes and stunning beauty spots. Last year RMG identified and unveiled their 10 most scenic postal routes. The following top 10 routes were chosen because they either lead into a little or well-known beauty spot or house and unusual back story or both:

Scotland• Harris, Western Isles – This is the

southern part of the Scottish Hebridean island of Lewis and Harris. Some of the postal routes border the stunning Luskentyre Beach which is regularly featured in the world’s most beautiful beaches lists.

• Trossachs, Loch Lomond – This route in Perthshire spans three separate lochs (Loch Katrine, Loch Venachar and Loch Achray) and was where some of the Outlander episodes were filmed. The postal route also straddles the geographical and cultural divide of the Highland Boundary Fault Line, with lowland Scotland to the south and east and the mountains and traditionally Gaelic culture to the north and west.

Northern Ireland• Troyhead, Bally Castle – The Antrim Coast

is famed for its outstanding beauty, particularly the route spanning the

Troyhead district. Some of the well-known Game of Thrones film sets were filmed using the Dark Hedges part of the route as the backdrop for the infamous ‘King’s Road’ in the cult TV series.

South West England• Trebetherick, Cornwall – This picturesque

North Cornish coastal village is situated on the River Camel Estuary. The village is a beautiful blend of quaint churches and railways and has amazing sand dunes where the remains of shipwrecks can be seen on the foreshore.

• Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire – This Cotswolds-based route runs between the famously quaint ‘Upper’ and ‘Lower’ Slaughter villages. Consistently voted as one of the most picturesque parts of what is already a famously beautiful area. The villages’ historic mills are set against the backdrop of the beautiful River Eyre, and boasts a particularly warm and welcoming community.

• Tresco, Isles of Scilly – Cars are not allowed on this beautiful little island in the Celtic Sea, so mail is delivered to the island by boat six days a week from St Mary’s the largest of the Scilly Islands. Once it arrives the mail is then delivered on the 2-3 mile route by bicycle.

Sanford Awards 2018 ceremony

Postcards from the Park’s Past

Literacy learning programme, The Jolly Postman

Luskentyre Beach in Scotland

The Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland

Lower Slaughter in Gloucestershire

North West England• Lake Windermere – This amazing postal

route serves the historic Troutbeck village located on the edge of the stunning Lake Windermere. The route covers the allegedly haunted Kirkstone Pass Inn, which is reached via a 20 minute winding road and is one of the highest public houses in the country.

North East England• Holy Island, Northumberland – Timing is

critical on this route due to the heavily tided stretch of water leading to the historic Holy Island in Northumberland. This incredible beauty spot hosts up to 400 delivery points including Lindisfarne Priory, which saw one of the first bibles brought to the UL circa 7th century AD.

Midlands• Henley-In-Arden, Warwickshire – In the

midst of Shakespeare county, this route begins outside the wildly popular Henley Ice Cream shop in the historic village of Henley-In- Arden, and covers vast swathes of rolling Cotswolds countryside typical of the area. Some delivery spots on this round, including Aston Cantlow, trace their lineage as far back as the Domesday book.

Wales• Laugharne, Carmarthenshire – This

postal route includes Dylan Thomas’ stunning scenic boat house, home to the ‘Writing Shed’, which served as the birthplace for many of the national treasure’s most famous works. It also boasts truly beautiful views of the Taf Estuary.

The history of the Post OfficeIn 1516 Henry VIII knighted Sir Brian Tuke as the first Master of the Posts, but at that time the postal service was only available to the King and his royal court. Charles I made this service available to the public in 1635 and postage had to be made by the recipient. The General Post Office (GPO) was established by Charles II in 1660 and was relatively small at that time employing 45 staff to sort and deliver the mail.

The Royal Postal service very quickly grew to be an important part of England’s infrastructure. In 1784 the first mail coach began delivering mail between London and Bristol followed by the introduction of uniforms for delivery staff in 1793. Sir Rowland Hill was a major influence in the reforms of the postal service during the 1800s.

Mail was first delivered by train in 1830 and ran between Liverpool and Manchester and the Post Office’s money order system followed in 1838. In 1840 was the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post which created a single price rate for delivery of mail anywhere in Great Britain and Ireland and had to be pre-paid by the sender. This led to the introduction of the Penny Black, the first adhesive postage stamp and pre-paid postal stationery letter sheets and envelopes.

Pillar boxes were introduced in 1853 followed by the national telephone service in 1912, the first international airmail service and the opening of the London Post Office Railway in 1927.

The Post Office Act 1969 brought the change of the Post Office moving from a government department to a nationalised industry and gradually the different services provided by the Post office were separated into letter delivery,

parcel delivery and post office arms of the mail service all under the Post Office Group. In 1990 Girobank was sold to the Alliance & Leicester Building Society and the Royal Mail Parcels business was rebranded as Parcelforce.

There have been several changes brought over the years, the main one being the Post Office becoming a public limited company following the Postal Services Act in 2000 that led to the establishment of a postal regulator known as Postcomm. The Post Office Group was renamed Consignia in 2001 but shortly after in 2002 it was re-named the Royal Mail and in 2006 the mail service was opened up to the market. Although Royal Mail were the only mail delivery service provider competitors were allowed to carry mail and pass it on to Royal Mail for delivery.

Times were changing for Royal Mail and post offices across the country, particularly with the introduction of technology and the development of online postal services. This along with the Postal Service Act 2011 led to the closure of 2,500 post offices and the privatisation of Royal Mail in 2013 but the Post Office remains a public organisation.

In 2012, Post Office embarked on one of the country’s largest retail transformation programmes. The Network Transformation programme saw over 7,700 branches modernised, bringing an improved branch environment and increased opening hours, meaning over 200,000 additional weekly hours and over 4,000 branches now open on Sundays.

6Windermere in North West England

Sir Rowland Hill

Holy Island in NorthumberlandInternational airmail service

Aston Cantlow in the Cotswolds Delivery of mail

Laugharne in Wales Sir Brian Tuke

Royal Mail Special StampsDuring 2018-19 Royal Mail launched another exciting programme of Special Stamps featuring a wide range of themes including the wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle; the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage on HMS Endeavour in 1768; the Reintroduced Specie; the 50th anniversary of the TV comedy Dad’s Army; the UK’s five native species of Owls; the final collection from the five year programme marking the centenary of the Great War; the Royal Academy of Arts; and a celebration of Harry Potter.

The Royal WeddingThe engagement of HRH Prince Harry to Ms Meghan Markle was announced on the morning of 27 November 2017 by HRH The Prince of Wales. The wedding took place on Saturday 19 May 2018 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, the medieval masterpiece at the heart of Windsor.

Royal Mail released a collection of four stamps, printed on a souvenir miniature sheet, on the morning of their wedding. The collection included two full colour and two black and white romantic engagement portraits. The coloured stamps show the royal couple sitting together holding hands on the steps of Frogmore House, and the black-and-white ones show Ms Markle with her arm through Harry’s as she delicately holds his hand whilst walking through the grounds of Frogmore House where they later hosted their engagement reception dinner.

The stamp designs were selected from three official engagement photographs taken by New

York based photographer Alexi Lubomirski who was also chosen as the official wedding photographer. The stamps featured the date of the wedding and were approved by the couple and by Her Majesty the Queen.

Captain Cook’s Voyage on HMS EndeavorThe Endeavor, also known as HM Bark Endeavor and previously named ‘Earl of Pembroke’, was originally used to carry coal from Newcastle to London before being purchased by the British Admiralty in 1768. Lieutenant James Cook was chosen to command the ship. His task was to chart the transit of Venus across the sun at the equator but he also charted New Zealand, the east coast of Australia at Point Hicks before he made his first landing at Botany Bay on 29 April 1770. The voyage discovered unprecedented information about the land, people, nature, science and exploration.

Royal Mail marked the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s successful three-year voyage of discovery aboard HMS Endeavour with nearly 100 men including astronauts, scientists and artists by releasing a special stamp collection. The stamps captured the pioneering spirit of the Endeavour voyage and the wonders the adventures encountered on their travels. The stamps were designed by Howard Brown and comprised of six stamps depicting Captain James Cook, drawings of the observations of the transit of Venus, a portrait of a Maori chief, a scarlet clianthus and drawing of a Maori chief, a Blue-black grassquite and Sydney Parkinson self-portrait, Chief mourner of Tahiti and a scene

7with a canoe and Sir Joseph Banks with red-tailed tropicbird and red passion flower.

Reintroduced SpeciesIt is estimated that more than 400 species of animals and plants have become extinct in the UK over the past two centuries. There are currently over 900 native species in the UK now classified as under threat with many more significantly declining. However, conservationists have successfully reintroduced various species across the country.

Stamp Strategy Manager Philip Parker said: “When a plant or animal becomes extinct in a country, that does not have to be the end of the story. Our beautiful new stamps mark the skill and expertise of conservationists in reintroducing species back to their former environments.”

The set of six stamps released to celebrate the reintroduction of previously extinct or endangered flora and fauna in the UK featured original illustrations by Tanya Achilleos Lock an artist based in Wiltshire. The stamps include the Eurasian Beaver; Pool Frog; Sand Lizard; Large Blue Butterfly; Osprey and Stinking Hawks-Beard.

Dad’s Army2018 was the 50th anniversary of the hit BBC comedy series ‘Dad’s Army’ which was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, Jimmy and David based the comedy on their own wartime memories particularly Perry’s experiences in the Local Defence Volunteers during the Second World War when he was 17 years old. His mother didn’t like him being out at night, which inspired the character of Pike. The classic comedy ran for nine series and 80 episodes between 1968 and 1977.

The popular comedy, which attracted more than 18 million viewers in its heyday, led to two feature films released in 1971 and 2016, a musical stage show and a radio series. The comedy was about the antics of a British Home Guard unit during the Second World War based in Walmington-on-Sea, which is a fictional seaside town. The Home Guard platoon was commanded by Captain Mainwaring, a pompous bank manager and his mild-mannered chief clerk assistant, Sergeant Wilson. This motley band of men provided the seaside town’s last line of defence against the seemingly imminent Nazi invasion.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the much-loved comedy, Royal Mail released eight special stamps depicting the key characters together with their most memorable catchphrases.

Ian Lavendar, the only surviving member of the Home Guard actors, said: ‘It’s not something anyone aspires to be, but when it happens it’s overwhelming. So unexpected. When you’re young you may dream of many things but one never thinks there is a possibility of being on a stamp!’

Stamps Strategy Manager, Philip Parker, said: ‘Few TV comedies have inspired as much affection, or given us as many catchphrases, as Dad’s Army. On its 50th birthday we hope these new stamps will raise plenty of smiles.’

Five Native Species of OwlsThis Special Stamp set includes images of both the adult and juvenile Barn Owl; Little Owl; Tawny Owl; Short-eared Owl and Long-eared Owl – all of which are iconic British birds.

The Barn Owl is a distinctive and much-loved bird in the UK and around the world, however it has been in decline for several decades.

HRH Prince Harry andMs Meghan Markle

Conservationists have reintroduced the Large Blue Butterfly

Stamp to mark Captain Cook’s voyage of HMS Endeavour

The Dad’s Army Special Stamp series featured memorable catchphrases

They are known for their heart-shaped face and pure white underparts. Their diet consists of mice, voles, shrews and sometimes larger mammals and even small birds. These birds can usually be seen hunting for food around the edges of fields, watercourses and woodland.

The Little Owl is the smallest owl found in Britain, often weighing a third less that the Tawny Owl. This owl, not a native to Britain, was introduced here by two landowners who brought the birds over from Holland in the 19th Century. The birds are brown, cream and white with a short, hooked beak for catching small mammals, birds, beetles and worms. Little Owls can sometimes be seen in the daylight and when alarmed will bob their heads up and down.

Tawny Owl is the largest common owl, about the same size as a pigeon. It is mottled reddish brown in colour with a pale underside and a dark ring around its face. These owls feed on small mammals and are well-known for making the ‘twit twoo’ call that can be heard during the night. The call is made by the male and female calling to each other – the female makes the ‘ke-wick’ and the male responds to her with the ‘hoo-hoo-oo’. The Tawny Owl is also famous for turning its head 270 degrees so that it can look behind too.

Short-eared Owl is about the same size as the Barn Owl, mottled yellow and brown and paler underneath with dark circles around its yellow eyes. It is aptly named as it has short ‘ear tufts’. These owls nest on the ground in hollows they dig out and line with grass and downy feathers. The birds mainly hunt over moorland, grassland and saltmarsh during the day.

Long-eared Owl is mottled brown with an orange-brown head, white eyebrows and bright orange eyes. It has tufts on its head which stand

up when it is frightened. This owl is no larger than a wood pigeon but looks deceptively long and thin when flying. It is a shy bird so is a nocturnal hunter but prefers to roost with other Long-eared Owls which is called a ‘parliament of owls’. It is not a nest builder as it prefers to use old nests that other birds have vacated.

The Great WarThis is the fifth and final set of stamps in the series issued to mark the centenary of the First World War. The images used on the stamps featured historic memorials and artefacts that have become synonymous with the conflict, portraits of some of the participants, art showing some now famous and moving scenes, poems composed during the war and newly-commissioned artworks of poppies which are the symbol of remembrance.

One of the stamps commemorates Second Lieutenant Walter Tull, who became the first mixed-race Army officer to command troops in a regular unit. His great nieces and nephews said: “We are honoured that this Royal Mail stamp is commemorating our great uncle Walter Tull, who died tragically 100 years ago during the First World War. While it is a time for us as a family to remember respectfully the death of our great uncle in such a terrible war, like so many others, we are also proud of his accomplishments.

“Walter’s life and achievements have been acknowledged and celebrated in a variety of ways for over 20 years. Many of these activities and projects concern challenging and overcoming inequality and discrimination. While this year of centenary may provide a particular spotlight on Walter’s story and life, we hope that Walter’s example will continue to encourage and promote projects that support inclusion and equality.”

Stamp Strategy Manager, Philip Parker, said: “The First World War series has been one of our most ambitious stamp projects. Every year stamps have been issued to mark centenaries of the War, and the resulting 30-stamp tapestry is a moving tribute to those who served and participated.”

The Royal Academy of ArtsTo mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the world renowned Royal Academy of Arts (RA) Royal Mail have issued a set of six stamps. The Academy was founded in 1768. Its mission is to promote the enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and provide a platform for artists.

The stamp designs were all specially commissioned original artworks created by artists and Royal Academicians: Norman Ackroyd CBE, RA; Tracey Emin CBE, RA; Grayson Perry CBE, RA; Fiona Rae RA; Barbara Rae CBE, RA and Yinka Shonibare MBE, RA

Each design depicts the artists’ reflection on their works and the RA’s most famous annual Summer Exhibition - held uninterrupted, every year, since 1769.

Open to everyone, the Summer Exhibition includes works in a variety of media and genres and is arguably ‘the only exhibition where some of the world’s greatest artists show alongside amateurs’, according to RA Artistic Director Tim Marlow.

Thousands of entries are received, from which more than 1,000 artworks are selected and hung by the Royal Academicians. In the past, notable artworks displayed included Whistler’s Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter’s Mother, initially rejected from the summer exhibition of 1872.

Harry PotterRoyal Mail in partnership with Warner Bros Consumer Products celebrated the Harry Potter film series with the release of 15 Special Stamps. The Harry Potter series remains one of the most beloved and enduring franchises with fans worldwide. The new stamps featured Harry; Hermione; Ron; Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom, who are amongst the most popular characters.

The stamps also include some of the most iconic modes of transport used in the films; the Hogwarts Express; the enchanted motor bike ridden by Hagrid; the flying Ford Anglia and the Knight Bus.

Five Hogwarts professors are featured on further stamps presented in a Special Miniature Sheet: Pomona Sprout; Remus Lupin; Horace Slughorn; Sybil Trelawney and Severus Snape. They appear against a background of the Marauder’s Map – the magical parchment that reveals the current location of anyone on Hogwarts grounds.

To provide a little extra magic and intrigue to all 15 stamps, there are secret details that can only be revealed under ultraviolet light. In addition, the style of the ‘1’ depicting the value on each of the stamps, mirrors the iconic font used for the films.

A celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy of Arts

Harry Potter us amongst the most popular characters in the series

Barn Owls are known for their heart-shaped faces

One of the Special Stamps issued to mark the centenary of The Great War

82019-20 Watch this spaceThe Postal Museum and Mail Rail2018 was the first full year of opening for TPM and feedback from visitors continues to be positive. It was shortlisted for a number of prestigious awards and is now looking forward to building upon the fantastic success achieved this year.

TPM will continue to deliver a programme of engagement activities for visitors of all ages and out in the community and schools. Some of the activities that are being developed include:

• Mail related crimes exhibition working with The Circus who are an Exhibition Design and Management Company.

• Wallace and Gromit stamp exhibition

• Family film screening in the Mail Rail Depot

• Model making workshop

Wallace and Gromit stamp

Crime Exhibiton

Pudsey Bear visits The Postal Museum

Model Making

Royal Mail and the cruciform are trade marks of Royal Mail Group Limited. Post Office and the Post Office logo are trade marks of Post Office Ltd. The Postal Museum, The Postal Museum logos, Mail Rail logo and envelope and inverted rail track logos are trademarks of the Postal Heritage Trust. Annual Report on Postal Heritage 2017-2018 (C) Royal Mail Group Limited 2018. All rights reserved.’