Post by Mia on Dec 12, 2021 13:15:24 GMT
As we approach the end of another year, personally I'm looking forward to saying good riddance. Here at ASoWM-HQ, I am somewhat numb still in grief from my mother's death in October (she wasn't with me when she passed). She was a letter writer for most of her life, but towards the end, she could hardly hold a pen. During these last couple of months, I haven't been as enthusiastic about promoting snail mail or even writing many letters myself. A huge public thank you for those who sent cards. I shall get round to thanking you all individually in private, although it seems I've omitted thanks in a couple of letters sent on their way.
While it may be difficult to see people at present, connections are more and more important. Please consider checking in on friends and family, via a letter/card, phone call, text, or even email. Humanity is one of the most beautiful things on the planet.
Postal services have been, and still are, affected by Covid-19 outbreak. Snail mail can be slow, and can be even slower than usual due to decreased air traffic. Postcrossing's Postal Monitor page can give you an overview of mail suspensions from countries to international destinations. For further information, look at your own postal authority's website for service/status updates. Already this year, there were 10 days the postie didn't even do the round, but hopefully the posties will be healthy and well again.
Ongoing - I am occasionally looking for the bigger charities around the world accepting stamps as donations (and then they can sell on to dealers and the philatelic world). The UK has many charities doing this - they may research into cancer or other illnesses, provide nurses, hospices, fund equipment at hospitals, support services, humanitarian causes..... but I would like to find equivalents around the world. When I was a child in the UK, I remember watching Blue Peter. This television show for children would have fundraising campaigns, and one I remember is the saving of used stamps - these would be sent to the programme and the stamps sold by weight to dealers, with monies raised going to the charity chosen by the programme). I think some charities may have put receiving stamp donations on hold due to the current times.
A few of reminders:
While it is nice to share pictures of incoming/outgoing mail (here, Instagram or elsewhere), please please obscure the other person's address (in the UK, a postcode is nearly the same as showing the street name) - show your own address at your own risk, but please do not share that of others without their permission. I am still seeing people do this, and they don't seem to think it is a problem
Be careful also when using the quote button to reply, please do not quote someone else's postal address. I do see this still happening on other forums/comment sites. The quote-bracket-fairy may be out on occasion waving her magic wand.
If you are a new member, you may not immediately have access to all of the sections on the forum. This is because we want to try to keep this forum a secure and safe place for snailmailers, as some members have put their addresses in threads.
While it may be difficult to see people at present, connections are more and more important. Please consider checking in on friends and family, via a letter/card, phone call, text, or even email. Humanity is one of the most beautiful things on the planet.
Postal services have been, and still are, affected by Covid-19 outbreak. Snail mail can be slow, and can be even slower than usual due to decreased air traffic. Postcrossing's Postal Monitor page can give you an overview of mail suspensions from countries to international destinations. For further information, look at your own postal authority's website for service/status updates. Already this year, there were 10 days the postie didn't even do the round, but hopefully the posties will be healthy and well again.
Ongoing - I am occasionally looking for the bigger charities around the world accepting stamps as donations (and then they can sell on to dealers and the philatelic world). The UK has many charities doing this - they may research into cancer or other illnesses, provide nurses, hospices, fund equipment at hospitals, support services, humanitarian causes..... but I would like to find equivalents around the world. When I was a child in the UK, I remember watching Blue Peter. This television show for children would have fundraising campaigns, and one I remember is the saving of used stamps - these would be sent to the programme and the stamps sold by weight to dealers, with monies raised going to the charity chosen by the programme). I think some charities may have put receiving stamp donations on hold due to the current times.
A few of reminders:
While it is nice to share pictures of incoming/outgoing mail (here, Instagram or elsewhere), please please obscure the other person's address (in the UK, a postcode is nearly the same as showing the street name) - show your own address at your own risk, but please do not share that of others without their permission. I am still seeing people do this, and they don't seem to think it is a problem
Be careful also when using the quote button to reply, please do not quote someone else's postal address. I do see this still happening on other forums/comment sites. The quote-bracket-fairy may be out on occasion waving her magic wand.
If you are a new member, you may not immediately have access to all of the sections on the forum. This is because we want to try to keep this forum a secure and safe place for snailmailers, as some members have put their addresses in threads.