Royal Mail has unveiled five new Christmas stamps for 2024, featuring cathedrals from across the UK. Unfortunately, none of the featured cathedrals are located in the West Midlands. The selected cathedrals include St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh, Liverpool Cathedral, Bangor Cathedral, and Westminster Cathedral in London.
Illustrated by British artist Judy Joel, these stamps showcase the beauty and significance of these historic buildings. Canon Janet Gough, OBE, a leading expert on cathedrals and church buildings, collaborated with Royal Mail on this special stamp issue. She highlighted the timeless role of cathedrals in providing sanctuary, community, and joy, especially during the Christmas season.
David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, emphasized the cultural heritage and community importance of cathedrals. He noted that these sacred spaces offer a place for reflection and solace, particularly during the holiday season.
In addition to unveiling the new stamps, Royal Mail also issued a reminder to customers to remain vigilant against potential scams during the festive period. As online fraud attempts tend to increase during this time, the organization has launched a stamp scanner app to help customers verify the authenticity of stamps and avoid falling victim to counterfeit schemes.
For those planning to send mail and packages for Christmas, Royal Mail provided the last recommended posting dates for different services. It’s essential to adhere to these deadlines to ensure timely delivery before the holidays. Customers can access more information on posting dates and services on the Royal Mail website.
Meanwhile, child poverty rates in Birmingham are on the rise, posing a significant challenge to the city’s most vulnerable residents. BirminghamLive has launched a campaign to address this urgent issue by advocating for key changes to support children and families in need. These proposed changes include ending the two-child benefit cap, providing free school meals to all children in poverty, establishing a city “aid bank” for essential baby and child items, and protecting vital children’s and youth services.
Additionally, creating a permanent Household Support Fund, setting up child health and wellbeing hubs in deprived neighborhoods, appointing a Birmingham child poverty tsar, and offering free public travel for young people are among the initiatives recommended to combat child poverty in Birmingham. By implementing these measures, the community can work together to alleviate the hardships faced by vulnerable children and families in the city.
