Council Leader and Chairman thank local postmen and women as they gear up to deliver a first class Christmas

Christmas is Royal Mail’s busiest time of the year and Wyre Forest District Council Leader, Councillor Marcus Hart and Chairman, Councillor Stephen Williams saw this first hand when they visited hard working and dedicated postal workers at Kidderminster’s delivery office this week.

Both councillors met local postmen and women who will be pulling out all the stops to sort and deliver mail in Wyre Forest this Christmas as they were shown around the office by Delivery Office Manager, Lorraine Williams.

The festive season is Royal Mail’s busiest period, as millions of people shop online for gifts as well as sending Christmas cards and parcels. Royal Mail also plays a key role in e-commerce for many businesses sending goods to customers throughout Christmas shopping season.

Leader of Wyre Forest District Council, Councillor Marcus Hart said: “At no other time is the hard work and dedication of postmen and women clearer than during the festive period. There is a huge amount of effort and dedication that goes into delivering a first class Christmas all over the country.

“It was great to meet the team here at Wyre Forest and thank them for the extraordinary lengths they will go to ensure Christmas parcels and cards are delivered to loved ones on time, as well as thanking them for delivering our mail services all through the year, in all weathers.”

Wyre Forest District Council Chairman, Councillor Stephen Williams said: “I’d like to thank the postal workers at Kidderminster’s sorting office for letting us see first hand the great work they do over the Christmas period to ensure our parcels and post get to us on time.”

Royal Mail delivery office manager, Lorraine Williams said: “Our postmen and women will be working extremely hard to deliver Christmas parcels, cards, letters and parcels to people in Wyre Forest. We are grateful that both Councillor Hart and Councillor Williams visited the office to see our operation and to support the team.

“We’d like to remind our customers to post early this Christmas and to ensure all their mail is posted by the recommended dates, so that friends and family can enjoy their Christmas greetings and parcels. If everyone uses the postcode on every item of mail, this also helps us greatly in the job that we do at this very busy time.”

Customers do not need to travel to a Royal Mail Delivery office to pick up parcels if they can’t or do not want to. They can arrange a redelivery free of charge on a day that is convenient for them (including Saturdays), or Royal Mail can deliver the item to a different address within the same postcode area. This service can be arranged by calling the number on the “Something for You” card they leave or by visiting the Royal Mail website at www.royalmail.com/redelivery.

Royal Mail can also now leave many mail items with a neighbour if customers are not at home when they attempt delivery. Customers can nominate a dedicated neighbour to take in their parcels by filling in a form at Kidderminster delivery office.

The last recommend posting dates for Christmas are:

Second Class – Tuesday 18 December 2018

First Class – Thursday 20 December 2018

Special Delivery – Saturday 22 December 2018

Customers can also help Royal Mail ensure that all their letters, cards and parcels are delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible by taking a few easy steps:

• Post early – Avoid disappointment by posting your cards and parcels early. 
• Use the postcode – A clearly addressed card or parcel, with a postcode, and return address on the back of the envelope, will ensure quick and efficient delivery.
• Use Special Delivery – For valuable and important packages and parcels guarantee delivery with Royal Mail’s Special Delivery, which means your gift is tracked, traced and insured against loss.
• Wrap parcels well and always give a return address
• For more information about Royal Mail’s last recommended posting dates, please visit: https://www.royalmail.com/greetings or call 03457 740740.

(Photo shows from left to right: Wyre Forest District Council Chairman, Councillor Stephen Williams, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council, Councillor Marcus Hart, operational postman Andrew Woodward and delivery office manager, Lorraine Williams)