Colourful stamps depicting island life are to be issued by Guernsey Post on 14 July in celebration of the 11th birthday of Postcrossing, a global hobby that involves sending and receiving postcards around the world.

Two stamps have been created by Sue Hamon of Guernsey Post: the European Postcrossing stamp (64 pence) depicts the waters around Guernsey, which offer a unique haven for all types of wildlife including a wide variety of seabirds accompanied in the waves by Atlantic grey seals and visiting dolphins.

The Postcrossing stamp for worldwide use (70 pence) illustrates the island’s rich horticultural history and abundance of beautiful flora, fauna and natural wildlife.

Guernsey Post’s acting head of philatelic Bridget Yabsley said: – “Guernsey Post has supported this project since 2014 when its first Postcrossing stamp was issued. Today, Postcrossing brings together many people across the world, enabling them to make new friends, learn new languages and gain a better understanding about other countries and their people – so we’re thrilled to be involved in the 11th birthday celebrations of this global phenomenon.”

Notes:
About Postcrossing
The Postcrossing process is relatively simple: send a postcard and you will receive one back from another Postcrosser from somewhere in the world. Its success is largely due to the fact that, just like its founder Paulo Magalhães, many people enjoy receiving real mail through their door or in their postbox, rather than digital communications.

Launched on 14 July 2005, Postcrossing’s aim is to enable anyone to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! If you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from someone, somewhere in the world. Postcrossers enjoy the element of surprise of receiving postcards from different places in the world… to date over 35,687,093 postcards have been received because of this project.