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Stampex 2013
Our very own Maxine Cannon has been interviewed by Collectors Club of Great Britain about Stampex 2013 http://ow.ly/hvs8u
Our Very Own Fashionista!
Michael Starkey And Mirella
Designer of our Christmas 2012 stamps, Michael Starkey dropped in to see us today and revealed that he has branched out into fashion by designing a ‘Summerfruits’ fabric.
The original design was produced on board, digitally scanned and transferred to cotton print. Two dresses were then made by a lovely lady called Barbara.
One of the dresses has been auctioned for charity. Michael is hoping to interest designers or retailers in taking the fabric design into production.
The almost-unique dress is modelled by our very own IOM Stamps in-house model Mirella!
Miniature sheet reflects modern day Fire and Rescue Service
IoM Fire & Rescue Service
Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service will be showcased in a miniature stamp sheet produced by Isle of Man Post Office early 2013.
Source: gov.im via Isle of Man on Pinterest
While fire fighting has traditionally been at the forefront of their work, the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service’s role has expanded considerably since its establishment in April 1965. Techniques, skills, equipment have been developed to enable an effective and professional response to a wide range of non-fire related incidents.
A miniature sheet to showcase their varying roles has been produced by Isle of Man Post Office and will be officially issued on the 20th February next year. The images on the sheet depict the service’s roles in the community from fire fighting, dealing with chemical incidents, road traffic collisions, mountain rescue, community safety and much more. The service’s three core objectives are preventing, protecting and responding with much of their work now focusing on how accidents and emergencies can be prevented from happening in the first place and if they do occur, how people can best protect themselves and others from the possible impact of such events.
Source: gov.im via Isle of Man on Pinterest
Brian Draper, Chief Fire Officer said: “The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service is delighted that the Post Office has chosen to commission a stamp issue depicting the varied and extensive remit of a modern, 21st Century Fire and Rescue Service. Here on the Island our Emergency Services deliver on a daily basis a wide range of prevention, protection and response activities and the Fire and Rescue Service is at the very forefront of such delivery. I hope this issue will appeal to both collectors and the general public alike as it provides just a little insight into the many ways we try to keep our Island a safe place in which to live, work and visit.”
Source: gov.im via Isle of Man on Pinterest
Dot Tilbury, General Manager Isle of Man Stamps & Coins said: “We are especially pleased to recognise the sterling work our Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service provides on a daily basis. We are immensely proud to have such a reliable, multi- skilled and experienced fire service and it’s fitting to mark their status with a miniature sheet.”
Please visit our website at www.iomstamps.com to find out more about the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service miniature sheet and products and to pre-order.
Isle of Man Constabulary to feature on stamp issue
IoM Constabulary
A set of stamps have been unveiled which will mark the 150th anniversary of the Isle of Man Constabulary in 2013.
Recently Inspector Derek Flint and members of the Isle of Man Constabulary gathered for a photo presentation of the new stamps with Lucy Webster-Thompson of Isle of Man Post Office. The stamp issue illustrates the history of the Island’s police force from its formation in 1863, how much it has changed with each stamp featuring the modern day constabulary along with an image from a time gone by.
Isle of Man Constabulary protects the safety and livelihood of the residents of the Isle of Man on a daily basis and works to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life all island residents enjoy. During its existence there have been many milestones most notably a pay increase for all ranks implemented in 1947 along with the establishment of an Island Police Federation, the Island’s first police dog in the 1960s, the appointment of the first ever police woman in 1967 to the force increasing in size in the eighties and nineties.
Inspector Derek Flint, Media Officer, Isle of Man Constabulary said: “We feel immensely privileged to serve the Isle of Man and play our part in keeping it safe. To have our 150th anniversary commemorated in a stamp issue that will be seen the world over and enjoyed by collectors and recipients of mail alike, is in itself something to celebrate. We hope that the images from yesteryear, contrasted with the ones from more recent times, will illustrate how far we have come and how the finest traditions of the Island’s Constabulary remain at the forefront of what we do.”
Dot Tilbury, General Manager of Isle of Man Stamps & Coins, said: “The history of the Isle of Man Constabulary is fascinating, the force has evolved and changed so much not just in its size but advancements in technology have really changed the way it can operate, in terms of communication for example. 2013 will not only be their 150th anniversary but there will be another major significance – the appointment of Gary Roberts as the first Manx Chief Constable, a real completion to the force’s history to date.”
Please visit our website at www.iomstamps.com to find out more about the Isle of Man Constabulary 150th Anniversary collection of stamps and products and to pre-order.
A Celebration of Coronation Commemoratives
Alex Downie OBE MLC
A new set of stamps to mark the sixtieth anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s coronation will be issued next month.
For generations, commemorative souvenirs to mark the coronations of British monarchs ranging from medals, china or pottery drinking mugs, badges etc have been produced as treasured keep-sakes of these landmark occasions in British history. No doubt grand celebrations are sure to be repeated in 2013, the year that marks the sovereign’s diamond anniversary of her crowning country and will also be celebrated with new commemorative items. Pictured above is Alex Downie OBE MLC who has been a collector of coronation items for over 40 years and whose memorabilia features in some of the artwork within the overall stamp issue.
Commemorative souvenirs date back from the coronation of Queen Victoria through to our present monarch. They were and remain, remembrances of times when procession, pageants, firework displays, street parties and sports celebrated the coronation of a new King or Queen. Some could be bought while others were ‘awarded’ to young people, to be kept as a reminder of events that were high points in their lives.
Probably the shortest-lived royal souvenir in the Isle of Man was a replica of the St Edward’s coronation crown. It was made of 1200 lbs of confectionery rock and was eaten by schoolchildren on the day it had been made to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Known as the ‘Crown of Sugar’, it was exhibited for a short time in the front window of its maker, Johnson and Co. Then on Jubilee Day it was smashed into easily sucked pieces. Tickets were issued to children and they exchanged these at the shop for five-ounce bags of pieces.
There have been many other notable souvenirs including coloured souvenir postcards in 1902 to mark the coronation of King Edward VII, medals and flags. By the time of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II there were scores of commercial souvenirs. These ranged from men’s tie pins to royal-crested handbags. Virtually anything was packed decoratively, even pencils and paint boxes for children and tinned biscuits and chocolates. Only time will tell what this year’s coronation souvenirs will be!
Please visit our website at www.iomstamps.com to find out more about The Coronation of HM Queen 1953- 2013 collection of stamps and products and to pre-order.
First stamp issue of 2013
Lewis Chessmen Stamps
Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present this beautiful set of stamps, in collaboration with Manx National Heritage, to mark another return to the Island of the manuscript of the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles and the loan of six magnificent Lewis Chessmen showcased in the flagship exhibition ‘The Forgotten Kingdom?’ in an outstanding display at the Manx Museum.
The Chronicles are the earliest written accounts of the Island and document many of the most significant events of the medieval age. The Manx nation is fortunate enough to be able to witness the temporary return of these legendry, medieval manuscripts and the loan of a selection of the wonderful Lewis Chessmen in an outstanding display at the Manx Museum. The chronicles were written by monks at Rushen Abbey and have been in the collections of the British Library for over two hundred years.
Dot Tilbury, General Manager Isle of Man Stamps & Coins said: “When we heard the Lewis Chessmen and more significantly the Chronicles of Man were coming to the Island, we relished the opportunity to feature them in our stamp programme for 2013 and the results are stunning. The stamps will be officially launched on 11th January next year. The Chronicles teach us about early life in the Isle of Man, a time when the Island was the seat of power in a dominant sea kingdom that reached from the Irish Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean.”
The earliest and most important manuscript from the Isle of Man is The Chronicles of Kings of Man and the Isles, which is on loan from the British Library. The Lewis Chessmen were discovered on the west cost of the Isle of Lewis and were made around 1200AD probably in the city of Trondheim in Norway. Most of them are carved from pieces of Walrus tusk, though three are made from the tooth of a sperm whale. Six pieces from the iconic collection of the Lewis Chessmen on loan from the British Museum will illustrate the stories told in the exhibition and of course feature on the forthcoming new stamps.
The exhibition is at the Manx Museum – admission is free and is open from 10am –5pm Monday to Saturday until it comes to a close in March.
The stamps are available to pre-order now. To view them please click here or alternatively visit www.iomstamps.com
Isle of Man Stamps & Coins – Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Collectables
Click the image above to see the video
Isle of Man Stamps & Coins produced stamps and a range of collectable items to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. Products include a set of six stamps, first day cover, presentation pack, miniature sheet, special covers and a special collectors folder.
For more information visit http://www.iompostoffice.com/stamps/FutureIssue.aspx?categoryid=237
http://www.facebook.com/isleofmanstampsandcoins
GREATER ACCESS TO POSTAL SERVICES
A further five highly popular self-service Pay and Post kiosks are being introduced into the local community, in a bid to give customers greater access and choice of location for transacting their postal business.
Additional kiosks will be housed in Shoprite stores in Ramsey, Port Erin and Derby Road in Peel as well as the Sea Terminal, Station Garage, Castletown and the new Customer Services Centre at Postal Headquarters which opens on December 3. This expansion continues Isle of Man Post Office’s strategy to increase the availability of postal services beyond that of the normal Post Office retail network opening hours.
Marty Quine, General Manager Retail Network, Isle of Man Post Office said: “The locations we have chosen reflect the areas where we felt there was a need for additional outlets for postal services. I believe these will be convenient to customers who struggle to find the time to visit a post office during the normal working hours to buy stamps, post parcels and pay bills. Each of the new kiosk sites have early morning and late night opening hours, giving customers flexibility in the time they choose to transact their postal business.”
Meanwhile the Pay & Post kiosk which was installed in the Crosby Hotel in March last year has seen very little customer usage and is not proving commercially viable in this venue. Therefore the kiosk has been withdrawn from the Crosby Hotel and placed in one of the above locations.
Geoff Corkish MBE MHK, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office said: “We appreciate the withdrawal of the kiosk will be disappointing news to the small number of customers in the Crosby area who did find the postal kiosk convenient and we apologise for any inconvenience it will cause. However, we have to relocate the kiosk in order that it is more cost-effective in terms of revenue for the business. We have consulted with the Member for Middle Howard Quayle MHK and Marown Commissioners explaining our reasons for this move and appreciate their understanding; however the kiosk in this location was heavily underutilised.”
The kiosks enable customers to weigh, stamp and pay for packages to be posted quickly and efficiently, using a simple touch screen device. As well as the postal capabilities, customers can also pay their electricity, gas, phone bills and government rates through the machines.
Marty Quine said: “We are always keen to receive any feedback from customers about their experience of using the kiosks and an exit poll will be conducted at all the new locations and existing ones, in order to gauge customer feedback about the kiosks, how easy they are to use, their overall experience and whether they would use them again. Customers will also have the opportunity to add any further comments in order that we can continue to improve the standard of service we deliver. All participants who take part in the exit poll no later than December 31 will be entered into our prize draw to win an Isle of Man Post Office Yearbook 2012.”
Pay & Post kiosks were first introduced into the Island in August 2010 in Regent Street Post Office, following a response to customers’ desires to have self-service weighing positions, reduced queuing times and provide quick and simple service to purchase stamps, weigh and pay for letters and parcels and pay utility bills. Following their introduction, kiosks were also placed in Shoprite, Victoria Road, Douglas and the Wessex Garage, Alexander Drive, Douglas. The kiosks have been an overwhelming success with customers praising the out of hours access to postal services and their simplicity to use.
Isle of Man Post Office has continued its relationship with Integrex, one of the UK’s foremost providers of electronic and IT solutions to the retail sectors and the Escher Group, a leading provider of distributed messaging and data management solutions and services to introduce these additional kiosks.
Isle of Man Post Shop Christmas Comp – First Week Winners
Our First Week Post Office Christmas Comp Winners 2012 – Mr & Mrs Tomlinson
Our first post shop Christmas competition winners last week were Christine and David Tomlinson, of Douglas.
They were presented with their £50 worth of postage by Dot Tilbury, General Manager, Isle of Man Stamps & Coins at Isle of Man Stamps & Coins HQ.
On winning David Tomlinson said: “It was a very pleasant surprise to be told we had won live on Manx Radio. To win £50 worth of postage is particularly pleasing at Christmas as we do send a lot of cards, so the prize will be well used.”
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