Although Royal Mail had a monopoly on the delivery of mail for most of the year, from 1981 charities - principally Scouts, Guides and Church Groups - have been permitted to arrange the collection and distribution of greetings cards each year for a limited period before Christmas. While some rely simply on a rubber stamp to denote payment, many produce one or more stamps. The bigger the operation, the more 'professional' the stamp design and production of the stamps. While some places use the same (unvalued) design over a period of years, the most advanced produce a set of 5 or more multicoloured stamps in different thematic designs each year.

Sheffield Scouts Post

Following the change in the law in 1981 members of the Woodseats Venture Unit (WVU), at the time without a meeting place, decided that a Christmas Postal Service would be a good way of raising some money. They advertised to deliver in just the 'South Sheffield' area and set up all the relevant collection points. Through sheer determination and will power 11,000 cards were sorted in one leader's house before being delivered at an average rate of two cards per street.

In the following years more and more Sheffield groups joined the scheme meaning a wider area for delivery and more cards in the system. In 1985 the scheme took in such areas as Stocksbridge and Chapeltown, while in 1991, an agreement with the Chesterfield scheme enabled the area involved to extend further. The numbers of cards increased year on year until it reached a peak in 1989, the year of the threatened postal strike. Since then there has been a gradual decline in the number of cards passing through the system.

Sheffield has by far the largest and most sophisticated scheme in Britain. Many of the other Scout Post services, operating in areas such as Derby, Sutton Coldfield and the Wirrall, have based their system on Sheffield. Even Scout groups in other countries have contacted Sheffield for advice.

These paragraphs have been condensed from 'Scout Post - Sorted' by Matt Richards on http://www.btinternet.com/~the.hedgehog/articles/sorted.htm from whom I would have sought permission if I had found a way to contact him directly - so if you read this, Matt, please get in touch! Norvic.

Sheffield's 20th Year

This press release was produced by the Sheffield Scout Post for 2000:

Sheffield Scout Post will function from the 29th November 2000, for the 20th year.
An area 35 miles long by 10 miles wide (55 x 16km), serving an estimated 1,000,000 population, has seen the delivery of over 750,000 cards per annum in recent years.
Charitable Donations (outside the Scout Movement which it helps finance), exceed £150,000 to-date.
Five stamps, Se-tenant, representing The Three Kings, The Shepherds, The Stable, The Star of Bethlehem, and The Angel Gabriel have been produced for Christmas 2000. Printed in five colours, predominantly in blue and yellow, they are 15p each and First Day Covers are £1.50p. When ordering please add a donation to cover postage and packing.
To obtain these stamps and covers and further information please email Greg Spring.

From my collection of Scout Post Stamps

I have nothing from 1981, the first year of operations, and I have found no information about any stamps or markings used in that year.

First Day Cover produced for the second year of operation, 1982, with 10p stamps showing five views of Sheffield City Centre: The Crucible Theatre, The Town Hall, The Cathedral, The City Hall, and Fargate.

Selection of Sheffield stamps 1984-199X

From 1984 (or possibly 1983) Scout Groups used circular numbered handstamps inscribed SHEFFIELD SCOUTS at the top, with the year at the foot. The Year was included until 1990 (the 10th year), but was not included on the postmarks in later years. Some Scout Groups also apply an additional rubber stamp to the front (or occasionally the reverse) of the envelope showing the identity of the group or unit (see 1986 picture below).

The Chief Scouts pictured on 1984 stamps
Lord Rowallan 1945-1959	Lord Maclean 1959-1971	Sir William Gladstone 1972-1982	Maj-Gen Michael Walsh 1982-88

1985 - Fox Typical Christmas card envelope cancelled with #35 postmark, & Rabbit cancelled with #38

The Press release quoted above indicates just how big the Sheffield Scout Post has become in 20 years, but as early as 1985 so many cards with Scout stamps were being placed in the Royal Mail postal system that the Sheffield Post Office found it necessary to obtain a rubber stamp to redirect them back to the Scout Movement:

The letter was addressed to no.142 Club Garden Road, but this was wrong. The resident of no.142 did not know the correct address - and we must assume that they did not know how to contact the Scout Post system - so they returned the letter to the only system they new, the Royal Mail system.
The handstamp reads: