PETTION LAUNCHED TO SAVE CHRISTMAS CARDS
Everyone enjoys receiving Christmas cards from family and friends but this tradition is now at risk.
The steady and steep rise in the cost of postage has sadly led to a significant decline in the number of Christmas cards being sent each year in the UK.
A new petition has been launched calling on Royal Mail to introduce a special 50p stamp specifically for personal Christmas and Seasonal Greetings cards that would be valid for a one-month period each year, say from 15 November to 15 December.
The charity Cards for Good Causes has already expressed its support: “We’re proud to support this petition and hope you’ll join us. By signing and sharing the campaign, you can help encourage Royal Mail to make festive postage more affordable and ensure that the simple joy of sending and receiving Christmas cards continues for generations to come.”
The petition has already received over 30.000 signatures. A second class stamp currently costs 91p and a first stamp costs £1.80.
Sending and receiving Christmas and Seasonal greetings by post is not just a much loved tradition, but a vital means of connection for many.
For the elderly, lonely and those who live far from loved ones and friends, receiving a card at Christmas can bring immense joy and comfort.
Over 300 charities are involved in Christmas card fundraising schemes in the UK and benefit from both the revenue generated by sales and the increased awareness to their cause.
Museums, galleries and public organisations also benefit from producing and selling seasonal greetings cards.
The petition organisers say: “Why have we started this petition? Sir Henry Cole, the man behind the first commercial Christmas card, was our great, great, great Grandfather.
“Not only was he the inaugural Director and Founder of the V&A Museum, but most importantly, in the 1840s he also played a pivotal role in reforming the British postal system.
“He helped to set up the Uniform Penny Post, introducing the Penny Black stamp and flat rates for postage, making the cost of sending a letter affordable to everyone. History has shown that the impact of the Uniform Penny Post caused a massive increase in mail volume, allowed families to stay connected, and encouraged literacy.
“We believe that if the Royal Mail created a time-limited stamp each year for Christmas post, this small change could make a very big difference.
“As well as being a positive message to its customers and encouraging them to use its service, it would be a means of reconnecting people and supporting charitable causes during the festive season.
“It’s time to revive the tradition of sending Christmas cards, making them accessible to everyone again. An electronic message only lasts as long as it is visible on a screen, a card sent by post can be displayed and enjoyed until the festive season is over and it is time to take down the decorations.
“Please sign this petition and join us, our family and hopefully many, many others in encouraging Royal Mail to introduce a special Christmas stamp so that sending Christmas cards becomes more affordable at the most expensive time of the year.
“We hope you will spread the word and encourage others to sign this petition, so we can make this happen.”
One of the sisters, Veronica Olszowska said: “The aim of our petition is to persuade the Royal Mail to act: we are asking Royal Mail to introduce a special 50p Christmas and Seasonal Greetings stamp, available for one month each year, in the run up to the festive season.
“It may sound like a small idea – but it could make a very big difference as the sending of Christmas cards, a time-honoured and cherished tradition, is under threat. The rising cost of postage has led to fewer and fewer Christmas cards being sent each year across the UK.”
With many thanks
Jo, Issy, Charlotte and Veronica
Johanna Mackie
Isobel Bircher
Charlotte Graham
Veronica Olszowska
You can sign the petition here: Petition · Save Christmas Cards – Urge Royal Mail to introduce a 50p seasonal Christmas stamp – United Kingdom · Change.org