Brilliant Britain – a new competition

Stamp Active Network are pleased to announce a new competition based on the fact that British stamps tell us a lot about Great Britain e.g. its history, its culture, its geography, its people, its plants and its animals.

Young people in Primary School, up to the age of 12 (on 1^st September 2010), are invited to create a one page mini-exhibit about some aspect of Britain. Only stamps, covers and other philatelic items from Great Britain can be used. The page must have a title, and either captions or a short write up that tells the story. The entrant’s full name and address (home or school) should be on the back of the page, also their age on 1^st September 2010. Entries should be on good quality paper (A4) or a similar size album page, and placed in a clear protector. The entries can be either hand-written or prepared using a computer.

There will be three age groups – Up to 7; 8-9; 10-12 – with prizes being awarded (for First, Second, Third and Runners up) in each age group.

The entries will be judged on knowledge of the subject, originality and presentation.

Only one entry per person is allowed. UK entrants only.

Winners will be announced in the philatelic press and on the Stamp Active Website www.planetstamp.co.uk. The best entries will be on display at Autumn Stampex 15^th – 18^th September at the Business and Design Centre, London.

The deadline for receiving entries will be 1^st September 2010.

Send entries to: BRILLIANT BRITAIN Competition, Stamp Active Network, 3 Longfellow Road, Banbury, OX16 9LB

Charles Darwin, Evolution, Conservation, Biodiversity would all make wonderful themes for an entry and there are many British stamps which have been issued over the years which would be suitable for such. It’s just one page – why not have a go?

Alfred Russel Wallace on a stamp

On 25th February 2010, Royal Mail issued a set of stamps to mark the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society.

“The issue featured ten of the prominent Fellows who have helped us better to understand the world and the universe through observation and experimentation. “

The stamps have a split design with a portrait of the person and an image of their achievement.

For evolution, they featured Alfred Russel Wallace. Wallace independently came up with the theory of evolution by natural selection. He had become interested in nature and collected specimens as did Darwin. Wallace, however was poor and self taught. He unfortunately lost all his scientific specimens from South America because the ship was sunk. He didn’t mind Darwin got most of the credit for their theory. He felt that Darwin really deserved it more because of the work Darwin had done and it was Darwin who presented all the evidence to support the theory.

I believe this is the first time Wallace has appeared on a stamp and rightfully deserves the credit. (Sandie Robb)

http://royalsociety.org/Royal-Society-350th-anniversary-stamps/

New UK mammal biodiversity stamps launched!

Hopefully you have all seen the news release about Royal Mail’s new UK Biodiversity stamps (and you’ll see them on your post). Surely Charles Darwin as a backyard biologist would approve, especailly in 2010 Year of Biodiversity,  of the beautiful new photographic stamps about rare British mammals. You can see them on the Royal mail website or at the execllent zoo blog http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com:80/2010/04/mammal-stamps-in-uk.html 

Stephen Woollard and Sandie Robb at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo commented: “We are particularly pleased to see the Scottish wildcat as one of the featured animals and the launch of this stamp took place at our RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, as we are one of the partners of the Cairngorm Wildcat Project.”

See these links: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8617325.stm

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8616599.stm

 http://www.royalmail.com/portal/stamps/content1?catId=118600813&mediaId=119300768