Royal Mail, and, Post Office.

My beloved Royal Mail has increased postage rates for international mail this month, the second time this year. At this rate, it'll spell doom for UK-based Postcrossers. It is £3.40 to send a postcard to France. What can I get for that? £3.20 for a J2O in a village pub, £3.00 for half a pint of cider from another pub, a dozen free range eggs, large, £3.25 from a supermarket. £3.40 postcard covers up to 100g letters up to C5 envelope size, not too thick. I think the heaviest letters I have written have been around the 30g mark. There used to be lower weight limits, and Christmas cards would take a letter over the 20g "cheap" limit. 

Hay-on-Wye postbox with topper. Paralympic Gold - Josie Pearson 

Royal Mail are also vandalising postboxes, to make them accept parcels. It appears Royal Mail doesn't give a XXXX about the post office, nor the community. The first postbox conversion I saw was outside a small village post office. And if conversion is outside a post office, according to a comment on Norvic's blog, RM want the PO to install lighting for the solar panels, so the box can be used in the dark when the PO is closed.

Postbox being converted. Wrapped in plastic ahead of an adapted door to be installed.

I know RM is a business, one wanting to cream off profits for its shareholders, but there was a time the postie was a valued asset in the community, especially in rural areas. The regular postie would get to know the people on the round, and maybe wold be the first to pick up on something wrong, such as the milk not taken in, lights left on, ... at the home of someone living on their own. Now, the postie works to a stricter schedule, no time for a quick minute chat. 

As for the Post Office, they've had their problems - Horizon (reached p183 of The Great Post Office Scandal by Nick Wallis); the franchising out of the remaining direct-run PO (interrupting receiving commemorative stamps such as Ducks, and not receiving this month's new postage rate leaflets); and then there's some counter workers with little clue (one Postcrosser was erroneously told that it would cost £4.50 to send a postcard to the US because of tariffs). 

I do want to support this vital community service. The PO has lost services - I remember buying Premium Bonds with bonus money for doing well in my school exams umm, I'm not saying how many years ago! Could also do National Savings & Investments at the PO counter too. I'm lucky the one I go to is run by lovely people. They also have a great selection of cards, and I have bought a few to start letters in. If only it was bigger, and with a tea room! I do like writing letters in cafes and pubs...