Christmas Post for Scouts

In 1981 the government announced that charities could deliver Christmas cards during the period of November 25th to January 1st and make a small charge for this service. In the weeks that lead up to Christmas thousands of Scouts, Leaders, Parents and Commitee members take ont he responsible job of delivering Christmas Card Post which has been stamped with Scout stamps and posted in Scout posting boxes.

Planning

As with any Scout event planning pays dividents in this instance the dividents are in hard cash and successful public relations. Outline planning should begin in late summer to ensure that en efficient and successful scheme is run. The following points need to be considered.

Postal Delivery Area

The postal delivery area must be clearly defined. To say it covers a certain Scout District would not be understood by the public. A village, group of villages, market town or area clearlt defined by roads or similar boundaries is much clearer. At the other end of the scale, complete geographical areas could be covered by schemes involving many goups or districts working together.

Once the size od the scheme is decided upon the next stage of planning should take place in September/october and include:

the selection of sites for posting boxes
the bulding of posting boxes
the cost per stamp of the scheme
the ordering of the stamps
deciding the exact method of operation and individual responsibilities
the promotion of the scheme

Sites for Posting Boxes

Posting boxes need to be situated in places where people will redily see them. Many schemes have found newsagents and buisinesses where people routinely call for daily or weekly shopping, libraries, old peoples homes, community centres and church porches to be ideal. Some schemes may involve manning boxes in shopping area on Saturday mornings.
Whatever system is used the posting boxes must be secure, clearly labelled and emptied on a regular basis. You can not expenct the shopkeeper to empty the posting box for you.

Construction of posting boxes

You don't need to rival the postal authorities so large red structures are unnecessary. As a general rule the size of the posting box should be governed by the size of the catchment area. Please bear in mind that the bigger the posting box the more difficult it will be to find a shop willing to accept it.

Postal charges per Card

In general the charge levied for each card sent via the scheme is between half and two thirds of the price of a second class stamp.

If the scheme is operated by more than one group discussions may be required as to how the money will be divided between the groups responsible for selling the stamps, manning the boxes or delivering the cards. Some groups in an area will have more houses but less colecting points and groups that cover the shopping centres may find that the opposite it true. Some schemes also take about one penny per card towards district funds.

Ordering the stamps

Possibly the only item not completely controlled by the group is the production of stamps. If you operate a "trust scheme" (one where cards and money are put in a box together) it is only necessary to have a rubber stamp manufactured.

If your scheme sells stamps they must be produced in sufficient quantities to allow easy avaliablility. Disignes should be clear, show the stamp value and have some obvious indication of scouting. A local printer would be able to advice on the best and most economical method of producing your designs. Many groups find it more economical to produce two years stock of stamps in one go.

Publicity

Once sites have been agreed for the posting boxes, stamps ordered, and people have agreed to supervise and empty the posting boxes all that is now required is to publicise the scheme.

Publicity is essential and should be the specific responsibility of one person. posters will be needed for shops, windows and public notice boards. Press releases and required for lcoal newspapers, radio and televisio. Letters can be written to parish magazines and even personal visits to old peoples home and community clubs and an option.

Someone will also need to be prepared to be interviewd by the media should they make contact with you

Further publicity can be ordered by way of a leaflet posted with all cards delivered int he first week of te scheme

Sorting

Delivery rounds must be agreed upon and clear maps and lists of street names and numbers should be produces to make the sorting simple. to sort you need plenty of space and a number of cardboard boxes "a raid" on the localsupermarket or shue shop should provide you with the latter.

Depending upon the size of the scheme the sort will be in three to four stages:

Sort the post into group areas
Sort the group areas into delivery rounds
Frank the cards
Sort each delivery round numberically for ease of delivery

During a sort you may come across cards that do not fall within your delivery area. These must either be passed to the scouts post team for the relevant area or consigned to the official postal authorities by affixing a second class stamp.

It is much quicker for venture Scouts and adults to do the sorting. Cub scouts and scouts may be perfecty able, but time constraints normally make it impracticle until the final delivery sort.

Incomeplte incorrect addresses will inevitable occur. Telephone directories, possibly electoral rolls and a lot of local knowledge will be needed to fill in the blanks.

Delivering mail is a reponsible act and mistakes and disappointment must be avoisded at atll costs.

Cubs and scouts should only deliver Christmas post under adult supervision and only during daylight hours

Finances

Whatever method is used to run the scheme, accurate records must be kept of all finances and should be incorporated into and audited with the annual accounts. If stamps are issued to people for sale an accurate return must be made; if money is put on trust into the posting box this must be carefully counted and recorded. Groups which use the trust method find they are always in pocket.

Schemes that may bring the group or districts income above the VAT threshold should discuss their finantial arrangements with their area treasurerwho will be able to give them advice depending on their individual circumstances.

Many schemes donate part of the proceeds raised to local charity. this is not only good public relations for the groups involved but ina ddition, the charity concerned support scouting by encourageing their member and supporters to use the postal scheme.

Duration of the scheme

Most schemes operate for the second and third weeks of December finishing a few days before Christmas to allow the final cards to be sorted and delivered by December 25th.