Royal Mail Courier Magazine Spring 2023

COURIER

SPRING 2023 COVER

PRDC’s marathon man Ian Stewart photographed for Courier in February 2023.

Restoring trust at the doorstep

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Team – let’s be honest, this is a very difficult time. We have uncertainty everywhere, which is not good for you, your families and not good for our customers.

It’s unfortunate that this dispute has also become very personal, which means we all find it hard to discuss the real issues. We need to change to meet our customer needs, and we all know that this will mean we need to change some things we don’t want to.

We want to put money in your pockets, we want to phase in changes to allow us all to adjust to our new world, we want to give our customers certainty of service. That will mean more sales and job security for you. Without our customers supporting us, we will keep shrinking, losing money – and that puts all our jobs at risk.

Everyone is telling me their offices are not as busy as they were, and they are concerned. They are right to be so. Our financial situation is now very worrying. And yet, we’re only months away from opening our state-of-the-art super hub in the Midlands. If you get the chance to visit, you must. It’s a significant investment in your future. There’s no reason why we cannot compete and win in the market.

During the half year results I was struck by the fact that since the pandemic, our addressed letter volumes (excluding elections) were down 24%, or around 1.1 billion fewer letters to deliver. Even though we have put stamp prices up, our letter revenue is down 13%, or around £0.25 billion.

We do still love letters, but we need to accept that our customers love them less than they used to. Letters are rapidly approaching only £4 out of every £10 we make.

That said, it’s great to report that letter quality has made a major leap forward, with our quality levels now in line with our performance in January 2020. There’s more to do, but we’re on the right track.

But overall, we urgently need to get back to owning ‘trust at the doorstep’, something that’s magical and uniquely ours. The best way to do this is by having harmony everywhere. I also want to make it clear we do not want to ‘de-recognise the CWU’, this is complete nonsense.

We recently launched our new national charity partnership with British Heart Foundation. It’s fantastic to have teamed up with such an important charity and I know you’ll go all out to help us reach our £2 million target.

Thank you for everything you are doing. I know it has been tough. Blue skies will come again, and we will all be back doing what we do best. Looking after our customers like only we can.

THERE’S NO REASON WHY WE CANNOT COMPETE AND WIN.

SIMON THOMPSON CEO Royal Mail

STEPS TO ZERO

We’ve more than 4,500 electric vehicles in our fleet and celebrated our milestone 4,000th at Blackpool and Poulton Delivery Office.

Women in the Workplace

To mark International Women’s Day, on Wednesday 8 March, this edition of Courier features just some of the thousands of inspiring female colleagues across our business.

Scan the QR codes for films from our Workplace series celebrating Royal Mail’s trailblazing female talent.

Midlands regional operations director Kate Ellis on the importance of diversity, encouraging new talent and supporting career development.

Shift manager Jennifer Byrne and line leader Myshelle Tall on how our North West Super Hub’s attracting a high percentage of female managers.

Discover more stories, be inspired and get involved by joining the RM Women and Allies group on Workplace.

TRADING UPDATE

We announced an operating loss of £295 million for the nine months to the end of December. We continue to lose £1 million a day.

USING UP STAMPS

You now have until 31 July 2023 to use up non-barcoded stamps

www.royalmail.com/ barcodedstamps

We need you to Watch&Win

Our Watch&Win scheme that rewards Royal Mail and Parcelforce people for identifying and submitting business opportunities pays out on average £13,000 every month.

Our most successful spotters earn thousands of pounds through the scheme each year. Subscriptions are proving fruitful leads for some colleagues. One spotter contacted Watch&Win after identifying that Royal Mail could help a competitor struggling with capacity to meet the needs of their pet food subscriptions customer. We secured a piece of the pie and, within only two months, had delivered 5,332 items,

with the customer spending almost £26,000 with us. Our spotter earned more than £500 in Rewards and is well on the way to hitting the £1,000 jackpot.

You can still win with a lead even if Royal Mail or Parcelforce do not end up taking over the whole account. Every lead has the potential to earn you £1,000 in Rewards.

GET SPOTTING Submit a lead through the People App or at royalmail.com/watchandwin or parcelforce.com/lead

Delivering on our children’s futures

Parcelforce people are gearing up to handle more than a million exam packages this summer.

After the pandemic forced a two-year break in the student exam schedule, the programme returned last year. Parcelforce securely collected, processed and delivered exam papers to schools and colleges throughout the UK.

Now, teams across the business are involved in the planning, communications and handling of 2023 exam papers – from our depots interacting with schools or education centres, to our hub and network teams processing and transporting the items and our exam helpdesk fielding school enquiries.

“I was especially proud of the 99%-plus

quality of service achieved for last year’s 800,000 exam returns,” says Parcelforce customer operations manager Tom Perkins, whose team led on the planning and delivery of the programme which was praised by the Department for Education.

Parcelforce delivers exams throughout the year, but the summer despatch is by far the busiest. The first live exams for the summer series enter the network in March, with despatches and collections continuing through to the end of June. Exam board contract manager Ryan Benn says: “The programme is critical to our children’s future and many parts of the Parcelforce team are fundamental to the successful delivery of the summer exams.”

COURIER CATCH-UP

Browse previous issues at myroyalmail.com/courier or by scanning the QR code. This edition will appear online around three weeks after it’s been delivered.

USING QR CODES

Use your smart device’s camera to scan codes throughout this edition of Courier for more features and interviews.

Enhanced service captures trust

Our Capture Photos on Delivery feature is being extended to Special Delivery Guaranteed and to RM Tracked with Signature or Age Verification. And it now includes our important Age and ID verification variants. The change is great news for customers – giving them greater peace of mind on our premium services. It also helps us grow trust at the doorstep and makes these services even more competitive in the vital e-commerce market, which continues to drive parcel growth.

Milestone moment in stamp history

King Charles III has become the seventh monarch to appear on a Royal Mail definitive stamp.

Depicting the current monarch on our ‘everyday’ stamps is a tradition dating back to the reign of Queen Victoria, whose image featured on the world’s first adhesive stamp, the Penny Black, in 1840.

The new definitive is an adapted version of the portrait created by Martin Jennings for The Royal Mint for the obverse of the new UK coinage and shows King Charles facing to the left, alongside a barcode in matching colour.

“Uniquely, British stamps do not have the country of origin printed on them as the image of the monarch is sufficient,” says CEO Simon Thompson. “This is a hugely important milestone for Royal Mail and the country as we reveal the image of the King Charles Definitive.”

The new First Class definitive is the centre-piece of a new exhibition, called The King’s Stamp, at The Postal Museum (pictured). Visitors can see rare stamps from the reigns of seven monarchs, including King Edward VII’s Tyrian Plum, which was never released, and Queen Victoria’s Two Penny Blue.

Visit postalmuseum.org for details of the exhibition, which runs until 3 September.

WATCH Scan the QR code to watch a film about the King Charles Definitive stamp’s creation.

UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATION

The case for change

Moving to a five-day-a-week letter service is essential to protecting our Universal Service and securing Royal Mail’s long-term future.

It’s no secret that letter volumes have been in steep decline for the past two decades as consumer needs change. But the current Universal Service Obligation (USO) is still designed for letters in a preinternet age.

In November, we announced we had asked the Government to move to a five-day-a-week letter service – Monday to Friday – while continuing to improve parcel services, to protect the long-term sustainability of our one-price-goes-anywhere service.

In 2004/05, Royal Mail delivered 20 billion letters. That’s an average of two letters to every door, every day. This fell to eight billion in

2020/21. Current projections indicate that this will halve again over the next decade to four billion – which is less than one letter to every door, every other day. Parcel volumes on the other hand have grown, on average, 10% a year.

“By moving to a Monday to Friday letter service and focusing on parcels at weekends, we believe there will be an opportunity to offer different working patterns, which will include more Saturdays off,” says chief people officer Zareena Brown. “These changes will enable us to grow the business in a more financially sustainable way, which is the best way to secure job security in the long term –something we all want.”

What are our customers saying?

Ofcom’s research in 2020 showed that a five-day (Monday-Friday) letters service would meet the needs of 97% of consumers and SMEs.

Royal Mail’s own research, including consumer workshops up and down the country in 2022, found the same. It found little or no statistical difference across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland or low income, rural or elderly consumers.

*

Most recently, The Sunday Times readers’ poll in January 2023 asked: Would it matter if the post was no longer delivered on Saturday? Of the 11,259 results entered, 18% said yes and 82% said no.

Director of corporate affairs Jenny Hall adds: “These proposals are about ensuring that Royal Mail can grow and remain competitive in a fastmoving industry.

“The current financial position of Royal Mail means this change is critical. Although we’re undergoing a major transformation process, this will not be sufficient in itself to put the business back on track. Moving to five days is essential to ensuring Royal Mail’s long-term future.”

Next steps

A Government spokesman says there are “no current plans to change the Universal Service”. “While we recognise the issues that Royal Mail raise, there would need to be a strong case that showed changes would meet reasonable needs of users of postal services and ensure the financial sustainability of the universal postal service.”

We continue to work with the Government and Ofcom to make the case for change and will keep you updated.

It’s not just a UK trend

Change is already happening across Europe, where Universal Service Providers are responding in various ways to address declining letter volumes:

France

La Poste recently announced that customers can now only buy a green stamp that guarantees delivery within three working days when sending a letter in France. A new e-letter type system has been developed for correspondence that needs to be delivered the next day.

Denmark

In 2019, PostNord introduced a change so standard letters are only delivered one day a week.

Norway

The latest change saw Posten implement a reduction in the delivery frequency of letters from five to two-anda-half days a week in 2019.

Finland

For more than five years, Posti has implemented a reduced delivery frequency in urban areas from five to three days.

Netherlands

In 2014, PostNL saw the discontinuation of Monday delivery for letter mail.

Our current financial position means this change is critical.

A BADGE

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GOVERN

OF PRIDE

Jenny Hall’s on a quest to get our iconic badge sparkling again. And our director of corporate affairs is more than hopeful. During her nine years with Royal Mail – three in her current role on the Executive Board – there have been plenty of challenges and multiple union disputes. The current dispute with the CWU is undoubtedly the most difficult yet and Jenny knows the importance of what comes next.

There are four core elements to her Royal Mail responsibilities: communicating with our people; Government and parliamentary affairs; media relations; and corporate responsibility. Above all, though, it’s about bringing together all of those to provide a platform for the company to prosper.

“It’s amazing how what should be a process of working with your trade union – to agree a pay deal and some changes to help keep the

business moving forward – can have such an impact on the organisation. This one feels allconsuming and I certainly want to see it come to an end. I’m sure everyone else does, too.

“I think we all care about Royal Mail’s reputation. That pride in wearing the badge comes through so clearly when I speak to people. The badge may be a little bit tarnished just now, but my job is to make sure we can get it gleaming again so we can all be proud to work for Royal Mail.

“The better the reputation, the better the brand, the more business we can win, the more companies will want to be sending their parcels and letters with us and the more customers will trust us. That’s good for us all because it means we can be part of a winning team and make sure we’re growing this business, protecting jobs and delivering for our customers.”

Our director of corporate affairs Jenny Hall on rebuilding relationships, restoring our reputation – and why she’s determined to unlock rewarding roles for our frontline females.

JENNY HALL

Case for change

Allied to restoring Royal Mail’s reputation is how quickly the business can make the transformative changes it needs to grow. It’s a critical part of the union dispute and Jenny is resolute about the need to change to deliver for our customers, while admitting there’s work to do to bring our people on the journey.

“We see it every day,” she says. “It’s really clear with the decline in letters and the growth in parcels. But it’s not just about the volumes, it’s about what customers expect. They want items the next day and they want to know exactly where they are in the system and when they’ve arrived. And they want it seven days a week. Our changes are also about delivering that in a more environmentally friendly way.

“The customer case for change is really clear; what we’ve got to do is work with everyone in the business to make sure the changes work for our people too.”

Government and five-day letters

Jenny’s career began after completing a degree in politics, before embarking on a career advising companies on Government policies. Before joining Royal Mail, Jenny had branched out into public relations and working with the media. At Royal Mail, an integral part of her role has always involved influencing policymakers and putting our case to Government. That’s more critical than ever, given our request to Government to move from a six- to a five-day-a-week letter service.

“A lot of people understand the rationale for doing it when letters have declined from 20 billion in 2004/05 to eight billion now,” she explains. “It doesn’t make sense for the company to be legally required to be delivering on those days when customers are no longer asking for the same level of service.

“The Universal Service is absolutely unique and brilliant – for just one price you can send an item from one end of the UK to another. We remain committed to the one-price-goes-anywhere service, but the way to protect it is to make sure it’s sustainable in the long term and relevant to what customers need now.”

Ofcom’s research has shown that five days would meet the needs of 97% of consumers and SMEs.

“It’s the best thing for the Universal Service to keep it going long into the future,” adds Jenny.

“I’ve run many of these campaigns in the past, including

Supporting our frontline females

As executive sponsor of Royal Mail’s Women and Allies network, Jenny will spend much of March contributing to its International Women’s Day activities. For Jenny, this is important work all year round.

“It’s a group of women and men that have so much energy and spark and I love going to their meetings and giving what advice and support I can to really further what they’re trying to do,” she says.

“I certainly believe you can’t progress women’s issues in the workplace without having absolutely brilliant male allies supporting you all the way. That’s one thing we have within Royal Mail and it’s something I’ve benefited from.”

Jenny is particularly keen to hear from women in frontline roles to help them progress and achieve their ambitions.

“As a group, we need to make sure we’re representing the voice of frontline women a lot more, to make changes that help them progress and really make the most out of their career at Royal Mail.

“I’m always keen to hear from women about their experiences and ideas.”

GET INVOLVED

Scan the QR code and leave your thoughts in the RM Women and Allies Workplace group.

working really closely with the CWU for more than three years to secure the Collective Defined Contributions pension scheme legislation change. It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes a lot of persuasion, but if you’ve got a strong case and you think it’s the right thing to do, you have to hope the politicians see that too and take the opportunity to act.”

Environmental mission

Acting is something the company is certainly doing with its Steps to Zero strategy, which Jenny spearheads. It’s our target to reach Net Zero by 2040, and to reach 50gCO2e per parcel. In the eight months since the strategy’s launch, we’ve taken great strides. But there’s plenty more to do.

“Making sure we’re reducing the environmental impact of the company is crucial, not only for our strategy for the future but as a good corporate citizen. We’re making good progress in lots of areas. We’ve more than 4,000 electric vehicles having a really big impact and have moved all our electricity to renewables – that’s significantly reduced our emissions overnight.

“So far this year, we’ve reduced gas consumption by over 17%, around half of which is due to better controls over heating and by driving energysaving behaviours in our workforce.

“We need more ideas. These are tough targets we’ve set ourselves, so we need to make more difficult decisions to reduce our environmental impact.”

Of course, we’ve faced many other challenges during our long history – from world wars to a global health emergency – and our business has always stepped up to serve the nation.

“One of my proudest moments at Royal Mail was during the Covid-19 pandemic,” recalls Jenny. “We ran an award-winning campaign called ‘Thumbs Up For Your Postie’, demonstrating the pride we had in keeping businesses going and families connected.

“If there’s one thing I wish for this year, it’s that we bottle some of that pride in Royal Mail again and all start working together to build this company for the future.

“We’ve got the best network, the best brand and far and away the best people in the business. With those ingredients, we’ve got everything we need to make sure Royal Mail has a bright and brilliant future.”

I think we all care about Royal Mail’s reputation. That pride in wearing the badge comes through when I speak to people.

On the PAF to success

Let’s explore the power of the postcode and address the importance of keeping them up to date for our customers and our business.

“Can I take your postcode, please?”

Sound familiar? Every time you’re asked this question, it’s because of the power of Royal Mail’s remarkable Postcode Address File (PAF). It quite literally keeps Britain moving. Making online transactions easier, verifying identity and making sure mail’s delivered efficiently, this handy database is used by more than 50,000 UK businesses every day and underpins accurate addressing across the country.

Our posties play their part as vital eyes and ears on the streets of the UK. If they see a change to a delivery point on their round, they can pass the information to their route manager champion, who’s responsible for sharing the data with our Address Management Unit (AMU).

Postal reformer Rowland Hill suggests dividing London and Greater London into districts to speed up the delivery of mail.

The UK was the first country in the world to introduce the idea of a postcode. Packed with more than 31 million addresses and all 1.8 million postcodes, PAF is relied upon by many. It’s a valuable asset we’re proud to call our own, so it’s important we handle it with care.

Posties’ key role

Keeping PAF up to date means we’re delivering a great service, earning revenue through licensing the data and making life easier for ourselves. It’s also an Ofcom requirement. Correct information means mail can be sorted automatically through our machines to reduce manual interventions at our delivery offices. This might sound easy on paper, but the reality is a huge operational feat. In fact, it falls on the shoulders of the 36 advisors in Doxford who handle around 3,000 changes to the system every day.

The modern style postcode is trialled in Norwich. So that machines can sort mail quickly and efficiently, they require addresses to be translated into a short, readable code.

Five things to look for – and report –on your rounds.

• Derelict or demolished properties that are no longer fit to receive mail.

• Multiple residences that sit behind a shared delivery point, such as converted flats and student accommodation.

• Changes to business names could mean a new business has opened or a current one’s had a re-brand. This needs to be logged to ensure the correct mail is delivered.

• New builds ready to receive mail need to be logged and added to the database.

• Missing addresses from our database frustrate customers as they can’t deliver their goods effectively and consumers have problems ordering products online.

Following the successful trial, an eight-year programme to postcode the whole country begins.

A change to postcode data comes in a range of forms – including directly from local authorities and information supplied by homeowners and businesses – but, most significantly, from posties across our network.

“It’s a time-consuming task and we recognise the crucial role our posties play,” says PAF integrity and SLA manager Kim Winter (left). “They know our delivery points better than anyone and are in the perfect position to help us maintain accuracy.”

Perfect PAF performers

DATA DAY ACTIVITY

PAF champs

■ My managers understand its importance and allow me the time to complete it.

■ Don’t let the data entry mount up. If it’s a short and frequent task, it’s more likely to get done.

■ We regularly talk about PAF in our team huddles, which keeps it at the front of mind for our posties.

■ It’s about being alert. Whenever you’re out on collections and deliveries, you have opportunities to spot changes. PAF

Advances in digital technology sees Royal Mail implement a fully integrated, digital maintenance system that makes it possible to update information in real time.

“When we receive information from one of our delivery offices, we know it’s 100% accurate,” explains PAF advisor Brett Jobey. “Delivery points also get mapped and added into a walk, meaning they go straight into our mail sequencing process.”

It’s important to keep this information flowing. But we’ve seen a drop-off in the last few years, even though the general level of new housebuilding and business changes suggests we should be seeing more.

Chester-le-Street Delivery Office is among our strongest PAF performers, submitting an average of 38 delivery point updates every month. Its route manager champion is Siomon Mulder.

“If we don’t do this, it directly impacts our customers,” says Siomon. That’s why we make it part of our routine and take it so seriously.”

The growth of the internet and ecommerce makes PAF even more integral to the way everyone looks up address information online.

IT’S IMPORTANT WE HANDLE PAF WITH CARE. IT’S A VALUABLE ASSET.

CODE OF PRACTICE

Siomon Mulder’s on the case when it comes to managing mapping data.

Brett’s part of the team that deals with thousands of changes every day.

Chester-le-Street DO route manager champion Siomon Mulder reveals his top tips for a strong PAF performance.

POWER OF THREE

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, meet a trio of experienced Bristol Parcelforce drivers proving that gender’s no barrier to getting the job done.

DRIVING FORCE Bristol Parcelforce’s trio of female drivers, Carar, Liz and Lynne.

With more than 50 years’ service between them, Parcelforce colleagues Carar Tyer, Liz Frankcom and Lynne Humphries certainly know a thing or two about our business.

“When I started 23 years ago, I was the only woman in a depot of about 130 men,” recalls Carar, who began her career driving a 7.5-tonne lorry for Parcelforce on a rural farm and village route. “I just got on with it – and I think that attitude’s served me well. I certainly don’t feel different or disadvantaged when compared to my male colleagues.”

Lynne joined Parcelforce on the same day as Liz, 15 years ago, and claims the role’s a great fit for her lifestyle and personality.

“We all love the outdoors,” adds Lynne. “Carar is into showjumping and I used to help train horses at a local racing yard. I like the community element as well – we get to know the customers on our rounds and it’s nice to spend a few minutes talking to people who might not see anyone else that day.

“Sometimes, I think the fact that we’re women makes it easier for some people to open up to us if they need someone to talk to.”

“Diversity is essential in the workplace,” says Victoria. “Our business is really people-focused, and it’s important that we represent the rich and varied communities we serve.

“The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Embrace Equity – and that’s something we truly believe in here. My aspiration is to continue making Parcelforce a diverse, open, fair and friendly place to work.”

#EMBRACEEQUITY

On International Women’s Day, we’re hosting events across the UK, including at the Phoenix Centre in London with Jenny Hall, executive sponsor of the Women & Allies Steering Group.

Historically, the mail delivery industry has attracted far more male recruits than female. Nearly 1.5 million people work in transport and logistics in the UK, but less than a quarter are female, according to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. At the Bristol Parcelforce depot, the trio are the only female delivery drivers in a depot team of 100.

“Sometimes, I’ll reverse down a country lane or park the van in a tight space on a customer’s drive and they’ll say something like ‘Wow, what impressive driving’,” laughs Carar’s colleague Liz. “People often seem surprised when a woman gets out of the van. I suppose a lot of people still automatically think ‘postman’. Of course, these attitudes are outdated – and the fact that the three of us have been in the job this long shows that we’re just as capable as any of our male colleagues.”

In the run-up to International Women’s Day on 8 March, delivery manager Victoria Warry is celebrating her team of female colleagues – and looking ahead to a future when more women join the business in a variety of roles.

Bristol’s delivery manager Victoria Warry.

IT’S IMPORTANT WE REPRESENT OUR RICH AND VARIED COMMUNITIES.

Big-hearted partners raising funds and hope

Join our £2 million mission to save lives as we team up with British Heart Foundation to launch our charity partnership.

We celebrated the launch of our national charity partnership with British Heart Foundation (BHF) during February’s Heart Month.

Royal Mail colleagues chose BHF as our national charity partner until 2026. Now, our ambition is to raise £2 million to fund our Community Hearts Programme,

which will deliver CPR training to one million young people, install community defibrillators and provide accessible heart health information for the nation.

We’re also on a mission to reduce the risk of heart and circulatory diseases among Royal Mail people with tailored support and information.

Ian’s plan to post new world record

Princess Royal Distribution Centre driver

Ian Stewart’s in the running to set a world record with a difference – as he pulls on a postie uniform to take part in April’s TCS London Marathon. At the end of 2022, Ian secured a race spot as Royal Mail’s representative for BHF, after his name was drawn in our internal ballot for a marathon place provided by our new charity partner. He’ll join over 700 BHF runners. But Ian’s set himself an even bigger challenge – he’s been given approval from Guinness World Records to attempt to break the world record for the fastest marathon dressed as a postal worker, which currently stands at 3:45:06.

For the record to count, Ian’s postal ‘uniform’ will need to include a postal service hat, coat, trousers, shirt and tie. And he must carry a bag weighing between 10-20lbs.

“I’ve always wanted to run a marathon,” says Ian. “I’ve completed a few half marathons but nothing this long before.

Learn lifesaving CPR in 15 minutes with RevivR

Many of us will witness a cardiac arrest in our lifetime. There are over 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK – with a survival rate of less than one in 10. Immediate CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival. But over a third of adults have never undertaken any form of CPR training, according to recent research.

In January, 60 Royal Mail wellbeing ambassadors used BHF’s new Group RevivR digital training tool to learn lifesaving CPR in just 15 minutes.

Would you know what to do?

TRAINING RUN

Ian Stewart is hoping to break the world record for fastest marathon dressed as a postal worker.

“I guess you could say it was on my bucket list and I’m grateful to BHF and Royal Mail for the opportunity to cross it off, while raising some money to help save and improve the lives of millions living with heart and circulatory diseases.”

In addition to his training, Ian has the challenge of raising £2,500, which Royal Mail will match fund, making the BHF donation worth £5,000.

“The Guinness World Records attempt was my way of trying to drum up as much interest as I could,” adds Ian. “I’m going to need all the help I can to raise £2,500.”

SUPPORT IAN Scan the QR code to make a donation.

Top tips to help you raise funds

Royal Mail people have had fundraising fun and raised millions of pounds for previous charity partners. We need your help to reach our £2 million target for BHF and here are some top tips to get you started. Pick your moment Avoid major events or holidays so more people can support and join in. Keep it simple Make sure your idea is easy to plan and deliver.

Get planning Think about the venue and any equipment, let us know if you need any merchandise.

Share your story Tell others what’s motivating you to support BHF. Make your money grow Set up a SponsorMe page and share the link.

Have fun

Make sure you enjoy yourself. Cameras at the ready Share your photos on Workplace and with BHF. Remember to thank everyone Let them know how much they helped raise.

GET INVOLVED To find out more scan the QR code, or email britishheartfoundation@ royalmail.com

FUNDRAISING

DRIVE Parcelforce’s Carar Tyer and her colleagues are behind our BHF campaign.

HELPING CLOSE THE DOOR ON EXPLOITATION

For most of our 100,000-plus posties, the daily round will go without a hitch. But serving every UK city, town, village and street means our frontline teams often get a glimpse into the lives of the vulnerable – adults and children who are being neglected, abused, or even exploited by criminals.

Crimes like modern slavery are on the rise. Victims from the UK and overseas are lured into forced labour with false promises of a good wage and somewhere decent to live. Others are coerced into moving drugs or cash or forced to engage in sexual activity.

Exploitation can affect anyone, which is why constabularies like Devon and Cornwall Police are asking Royal Mail to spot – and report – the signs.

Last year, after sharing a list of signs to look out for with local hotels and B&Bs, Devon and Cornwall Police took it a step further, contacting national operations like Royal Mail and Airbnb.

And with close family who have worked at Royal Mail, Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Steve Parker knows first-hand the power of our posties.

The signs to look out for, and what to do when you spot them.

If

Make the call...

“No other organisation has Royal Mail’s scale and scope,” says ACC Parker. “Your posties have a presence on every street, every day.

“We all have that instinct, that gut feeling when something isn’t quite right. I hope that, by talking about this, Royal Mail colleagues will know the best way to act on it.”

In his 30 years with the business, Royal Mail’s head of protective security Derek Pratt says he’s received a variety of police requests, but this is the first time exploitation has been the focus.

And it’s easy to see why the police would want to tap into our vast network.

“Our posties know the neighbourhoods they work in,” says Derek. “Before, during and beyond the pandemic, we’ve demonstrated our knowledge of, and commitment to, our communities – which means posties know when something isn’t right.

“This isn’t about increasing workload or forcing more responsibility onto our frontline colleagues,” stresses Derek. “It’s about all of us using our natural instincts to look out for other people and knowing what to do when we see something that concerns us.”

If you notice a change, like someone not being seen for long periods of time

If a resident appears angry, anxious, or frightened

you spot signs of alcohol abuse, drugs, or damage to a property

If a resident is displaying concerning behaviour or signs of neglect

If a resident tries to hide another person from you or tries to stop you speaking to them

If you hear shouting that worries you, or witness violence

If anyone at the address is showing signs of physical harm or asks for help

PLYMOUTH ROCK

South Devon’s captain marvel is leading from the front.

Zoe on target with life goals

Torquay postie and Plymouth Argyle skipper

Zoe Cunningham on delivering for her colleagues and teammates after a life-changing spell on the sidelines.

It’s coming up to 5am in Torquay as Zoe Cunningham pulls on her kit and laces up her boots. Serving her South Devon customers means tackling up to 15 miles of unforgiving hills every morning. But this plucky postie has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

When Zoe’s not marching up and down the hills of Torquay delivering mail, she’s running up and down a pitch delivering results as the captain of Plymouth Argyle Women FC.

After a spell with Reading Reserves –including first-team call-ups for Women’s Super League fixtures – Zoe joined Plymouth. But despite her success on the pitch, Zoe’s struggles with alcohol were getting harder and harder to control.

Unsure where to turn, Zoe confided in colleagues at Royal Mail.

“My line managers were brilliant and understood what I needed without putting any pressure on me,” she says. “There are policies in place to help and in January 2020 I had around four months off and went to a rehabilitation centre.

“I was really quite unwell, but Royal Mail supported me through all that, and with my return to work. They put a lot into me, which gave me an even bigger incentive to work hard and give something back.”

WHY I’M HERE

It’s a sporting accolade that’s taken years of hard graft and dedication, plus a great deal of personal soul searching as Zoe faced up to being an alcoholic.

“I was playing for Reading Reserves but my life was starting to fall apart,” recalls Zoe. “I’ve had a good football career my whole life, and I got to the point where I couldn’t do it any more.”

From the age of nine, Zoe was spending time at Arsenal Women’s Centre of Excellence, training alongside future England captain and European Championship winner Leah Williamson OBE.

Now three years sober, Zoe credits the support she received from the business with helping her overcome one of the most difficult times of her life. The icing on the cake, she says, was getting back on the pitch for Plymouth and being given the skipper’s armband.

“After taking a year off to get sober, I’ve returned as captain and one of the more senior players in the team, which is a great feeling.”

Zoe’s seeing her career off the pitch go from strength to strength, too. After starting out as a postie in Brixham six years ago, she’s spent the last year as a trainee

manager at Torquay Delivery Office.

“I still have support from the people I work with on a daily basis. My sick record was horrendous before I got sober, but it’s never been held against me.

“I used to keep a lot to myself – not just from people at work but everyone around me. As soon as I was honest about what I was going through and what I was struggling with, I got the help I needed.

“I’ve been given a second chance and it’s brilliant.”

WELLBEING HUB

Access health and wellbeing services at royalmail.com/wellbeing or call 0345 266 5060 for free and independent, 24/7 employee assistance.

AS SOON AS I WAS HONEST ABOUT MY STRUGGLES, I GOT THE HELP I NEEDED.

Tales of far-flung postie pen pals

Stafford postie and Courier writer Kamil Sterniczuk’s friendships with posties around the world are delivering insights into their lives and work.

Doreen’s a Canada Post delivery agent.

She’s one of many international postal workers I’ve met through Postcrossing – a project that allows you to exchange postcards with people around the world. It’s helped me learn about the work of posties in different countries – including Doreen, who painted a picture of life with Canada Post.

Canada Post delivers to more than 16 million addresses and has 6,200 post offices. Around 170,000 new addresses are added each year. It’s a crown corporation – which means it’s owned by the government. It has 65,000 employees.

After 23 years in the role, Doreen still enjoys work as a delivery agent . Her day starts at 7.30am, when she spends up to 90 minutes sorting mail and parcels – around 50% is unsorted – before loading her Ford Transit. Doreen’s suburban walk has 750 stops – a combination of 250 single-family houses, residential buildings and businesses. It’s six loops in Royal Mail terms. As a general rule, there are no shared duties, unless help is needed with lifting large parcels. Doreen has around 20 of them a day and each can weigh up to 50lbs. Between 1 and 1.30pm, she’s back in the office with some ‘kill mail’ (kill-offs) for a 30-minute break before clocking off. She works full-time, between 35-40 hours a week, across five days. Canada Post doesn’t deliver at weekends

Direct mail – or Admail – accounts for 20% of Canada Post’s income. Advertisers pay 17 cents per flyer, with carriers receiving a cent and a half.

Delivery agents earn, on average, $30 an hour and, interestingly, are allowed to carry Mace to protect themselves from dog attacks. In 2014, Canada Post made international headlines when a delivery agent left the equivalent of a ‘Something for you’ note that read: ‘Bear at door’.

Uniform allocation is handled through a points system. Each year, a delivery agent has 500 points to spend on a wide array of garments, with an Arctic Parka the most ‘expensive’ at 180 points. Safety equipment, such as cleats, is free of charge and there’s an allowance of $250 a year for boots. The uniform colour is changing from navy blue to yellow to increase visibility and improve safety.

In 2014, Canada Post began to phase out door-to-door deliveries in urban areas in favour of community mailboxes (CMBs). This process would affect 32% of Canadian addresses. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers opposed the move which it claimed would adversely impact seniors and the disabled. The CMB roll-out was halted, however many were already installed and remain to this day. Although CMBs are proving unpopular, there’s general recognition that change is necessary.

Canada Post has begun trialling banking through its post office branches. There’s a hope that, between banking and postal services, some smaller and more remote towns can be supported with these basic –but vital – functions of daily life.

HEART OF

Courier sees sunrise and sunset with our teams across Scotland’s capital.

SHORTS CIRCUIT Hardy Edinburgh postie, Wayne is used to braving sub-zero temperatures on his round.

LOTHIAN

Beneath the Forth Bridge on a bitterly cold morning, we search for a single shot that captures the essence of Edinburgh. Built in the 1880s, this imposing railway bridge is one of many pieces of arresting architecture punctuating the city skyline.

“Enjoying the Scottish weather?” laughs postie Wayne Hayles as he spots quivering hands clutching camera and notebook. Wayne moved to Edinburgh from the north east of England eight years ago.

MOVING STORY

“I love the people here. They’re really proud of the area and they’re great storytellers.”

As he shares his own stories, it’s clear he’s bought into Lothian life. “The community. For me, it’s essential. This job is all about connecting with people.”

Maybe he was destined to spend his working life as a postie, having grown up in Chester-le-Street, helping his dad at weekends with deliveries on his mobile fruit and veg van. But even when he’s not on his round, Wayne thinks ‘community first’.

In 2017, he channelled his passion for film into his own community cinema in his village of Kelty, with the help of National Lottery and Creative Scotland funding. Working with a group of 10 local volunteers, he organises regular screenings to bring people together.

The sunrise shift

Before we find ourselves bridge side, it’s an early start at Edinburgh Delivery Office, where we meet postie Stuart Love – union rep, workplace coach and a pretty good judge of what it takes to pull on our iconic red uniform.

“A lot of people come in and think it’s just like a paper round,” he says. “But those who last are the ones who appreciate how much hard work it is.”

Certainly not afraid of the graft is 17-yearold Emiliano Rama, who joined the business in September on the Postal Apprenticeship Scheme. Until he passes his driving test, his day starts at 5am as he makes the 90-minute journey to the office by train and tram.

“It was a shock to the system at first,” he says. “But it quickly taught me not to expect it to be an easy job and that it’s important to put in the hard work.”

Emiliano joined Royal Mail on the recommendation of his stepdad, a mail centre manager.

“It felt like a good career option. I look around and see lots of people who have been here so long. This tells you there must be something about the job.”

Airside experience

You don’t have to venture too far up the road to see this experience in action at Edinburgh’s Parcelforce depot. Andy O’Meara will be marking

Engineer Iain Wightman on the busy night shift at Edinburgh Mail Centre

MAIL ROLL MODEL Edinburgh Mail Centre’s parcel sorting machine in action.

30 years with the business in June and, having done almost every role on the rota, now finds himself taking daily trips to drop parcels onto FedEx cargo.

He runs the lesser-known Global Express product for Edinburgh, making sure that around 15 to 20 parcels are sent on a nextday service abroad.

“It’s a very good service when you consider parcels can get to the USA overnight,” says Andy. “I’ve been doing this for 11 years and I’ve seen just about every

“I enjoy the idea of being part of a change in the workforce and love it when I’m out and hear little girls in the street shout ‘There’s the post lady’.”

All night long

COURIE R SPRING2023

As the sun goes down, Edinburgh Mail Centre’s parcel sorting machine (PSM) powers up for the night shift. The PSM, installed in June, is typically operated by a team of 10 and processes 55,000 to 60,000 parcels each night. The business exceeded its target for 70% of all parcels being automated before Christmas – way ahead of the spring target it set. Now, attention has turned to getting to the industry-standard 90%.

“Every minute we lose is critical,” insists night shift manager Stuart Templeton.

As part of the push to maximise the PSM’s performance, there’s a team huddle every two hours during a shift. The performance data’s reviewed and gaps are identified to keep the shift on track.

PSM technology is helping make sure we get paid for the work we do and has been a big hit with engineer Iain Wightman, who joined Royal Mail as an apprentice in the 1990s.

“The machinery back then was pretty basic,” he recalls. “It’s evolved to allow us to scan barcodes, read handwriting and weigh parcels.”

Stuart, Iain, their colleagues and the new PSM are forging ahead with an operation that’s increasingly efficient and accurate. Alongside the delivery office and Parcelforce teams Courier encountered across Scotland’s capital, they’re dedicated to delivering on our 24/7 mission.

country you could think of – the most unusual was probably Vanuatu.”

Typically, the service is used for urgent deliveries such as international paperwork, but it throws up the odd surprise too.

“I’ve sent parcels for actors, footballers and even the Pope. Once, there was a portrait painting being sent to Obama.”

Lady in red

Having swapped her role as a nurse to become a postie at the start of the pandemic, Anne Cameron’s highlight so far is being invited to London to be part of Royal Mail’s Young People’s Panel – where more than 100 colleagues under the age of 30 came together to share their experiences.

“It was great to be invited, and makes you feel a wee bit important,” says Anne. “I met people from so many different parts of the business and left with a really positive feeling having shared ideas about the future of the business.

“Monitoring our performance could be the difference between putting 45,000 items or 60,000 items through,” adds Stuart. “That has a direct impact on our customers because every parcel matters.”

NIGHT

Andy O’Meara delivering next-day parcels for FedEx

RIDER Parcelforce’s

THE COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL. THIS JOB IS ALL ABOUT CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE.

WATCH See more images from our Edinburgh tour on Workplace.

FOR YOU

Win! WIN!

ride of your life – worth £350

The

Hit the road, the forest or the mud track on this pumped-up two-wheeled wonder worth £350.

The Claud Butler Haste 1.0 mountain bike features a high-quality alloy frame, 21-speed Shimano gears and mechanical disc brakes. It’s a bike that’s ready for action – whether it’s a relaxing ride through nature or an adrenaline-fuelled off-road adventure.

For the chance to win, just tell us in fewer than 30 words which story you’ve most enjoyed in this issue of Courier – and why. Email couriercomp@linney.com using ‘Bike’ in the subject line. Or post your entry

to Courier Competition, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Include your name and address – along with your job role and location. Entries must reach us by Friday 7 April and may be published in a future edition.

WIN! One of 10 £10 One4all Gift Cards

KEYWORD CROSSWORD

When you’ve found the keyword, post your entry to Courier Crossword, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW or take a photo and email it to couriercomp@linney.com by Friday 7 April.

ACROSS

4. Small mouthful of drink (3)

6. Capital goings-on north of the border (9)

8. Lost your cricket wicket (3)

10. Jon, Joely or Miranda (10)

11. Cruise reverses annual car test (3)

13. Allegedly killed the radio star (5)

14. Accompanied Ford (6)

16. League One club from Devon love knitted diamond pattern (6)

19. It’ll be all white for former Premier League team from south Wales (7,4)

DOWN

1. Stripy animal often seen crossing the road (5)

2. Find unexpectedly after launching into 70s pop music (8)

3. Used piece of wood to get on the ship (6)

X-Men and Iron Maiden stamps

Heavy metal idols and iconic Super Heroes are featured in new Royal Mail collections of stamps and souvenirs.

We’re saluting UK rock superstars Iron Maiden with eight new stamps capturing thrilling live performances – alongside limited edition collectibles celebrating their notorious mascot Eddie.

It’s a crossword with a twist! Once you’ve completed the grid, fill in the keyword, below, that’s revealed by the shaded squares.

4. Kick ball towards goal (5)

5. Greendale’s postie since 1981 (3)

7. Day of events to raise money for Comic Relief (3,4,3)

9. Colourful card game for single Spaniard (3)

12. Rebellion over coconut chocolate bar (6)

15. Britpop desert haven (5)

17. Hackman’s link with DNA (4)

18. Initially a star-spangled country (3)

Our X-Men set features 12 action-packed stamps with original illustrations by renowned comic book artists.

We have 10 sets of stamps from both issues to give away. For the chance to win both sets, email your name, address and contact number to couriercomp@linney.com using ‘Stamps’ in the subject line. Or post your entry to Courier Competition, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Include your name, address and contact number. Entries must reach us by Friday 7 April

Discover more stamps, souvenirs and gifts by visiting royalmail.com/shop or scanning the QR code at the top of the page.

Name

Home address

Postcode

CONGRATULATIONS to Leeds Mail Centre

PSM operator Carl Orange, the winner of our winter edition competition – a Christmas deli hamper worth £350. Carl’s pictured about to tuck in to his festive fare.

Readers share tales of Royal Mail life and reflect on stories from the winter edition of Courier.

Become a wellbeing ambassador

Focusing on our wellbeing each day is important. Royal Mail’s wellbeing programme is supported by our locally based ambassadors who raise awareness and promote resources to improve the wellbeing culture in our workplaces.

A face-to-face event at our Midlands Super Hub in January was a great opportunity for the wellbeing ambassadors to focus on our priorities for the year. These include Help@Hand – a new confidential service which includes remote GP services and mental health support – and our BHF charity partnership.

Now, we need more wellbeing ambassadors to join our community. We’ve simplified the registration process to make it easy to sign up.

Once you join, you’ll receive everything you need to help get you started. You’ll also be part of the wider wellbeing community where you can share hints, tips and best practice.

This is a voluntary position that will run alongside your current role. Before signing up you must get approval from your line manager. This is a great opportunity for you to make a significant difference for you, your colleagues and those around you.

Sunday people

This story provided an interesting insight into the seven-day service and explained why it’s so crucial to our future strategy.

Allan Foss COM, Alfreton Delivery Office

Health help at hand

First Class Support helped hugely during a personal crisis this year. I’m now looking into becoming an ambassador.

Sara Jones OPG, Farnborough

Lifesaving partnership

Having lost my dad to heart disease, I found the feature about our new Charity Partner, the British Heart Foundation, particularly poignant. It shows how much of an impact we can have.

Caroline Stratford HR Services, Sheffield

Our history’s in your hands

I didn’t realise the rich history behind the publication I have enjoyed receiving through my letterbox for the last 40 years.

Carl Anthony OPG, North West Hub, Warrington

WIN! PICTURE PERFECT

Westhill postie John Rutherford was the January winner of our Workplace photo competition for this stunning shot of a stag in the rain captured under Kylesku Bridge in the north of Scotland. Share images from your working day for the chance to win an iPad or £350 worth of shopping vouchers. Head to Team Royal Mail on Workplace and use #PicturePerfect with your image and a short description. Check each month’s theme before you post.

SHARE YOUR STORY

There’s a £20 Amazon gift card for the writer of every letter we publish. Email courier@linney.com or write to us at Courier Letters, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Also share your own news and views on the Courier Workplace page.

From Melton to Mont Blanc

Sports-loving

When Melton Mowbray postie Adam Hawkins was diagnosed with a chronic illness, he was determined to use it as a catalyst for change.

Two years on, fitness fanatic Adam Hawkins has completed several marathons, as well as a series of challenging hill runs and other sporting missions – all while battling a debilitating condition. Now he has his sights set on the world’s most gruelling mountain ultramarathon, the 170km Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc through Switzerland, Italy and France.

Adam lives with AERD (Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease), a little-known condition which can affect some of the most vital human senses. In 2017, he began suffering distressing

symptoms, such as breathing difficulties and asthma, before gradually beginning to lose his sense of smell and taste.

Doctors were at a loss to explain why he was experiencing these effects. So, after several consultations, Adam started to carry out his own research. AERD is a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause asthma, chronic nasal discomfort and severe reactions to aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Adam discovered he was experiencing many of the condition’s common symptoms, so reached out to Fifth Sense, the charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders.

Running for Ian

Garforth postie Graeme

Brine’s pulling on his running shoes to compete in May’s Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in memory of his brother. “Ian died of motor neurone disease at 49, in 2020,” says Graeme. “I’m raising funds for MND Association and have set up a page for donations.”

Former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in December 2019. Since then, he’s campaigned to raise awareness and funds to support other families living with MND.

postie Adam Hawkins on overcoming adversity through activity after being diagnosed with an incurable condition – and his plans to compete in the world’s most challenging trail race.

BUCKET LIST

Adam’s going from strength to strength with his ultra challenges.

EXPRESS MALE Adam hitting the forest trails.

“I was still managing to cope at work, but my breathing difficulties at night meant that I was getting around two to three hours’ sleep,” recalls Adam. “From then on, I decided to do as much research as I could into AERD and overhauled my lifestyle.

“As well as dedicating more time to fitness, I began eating a plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet, composed mainly of fresh fruit and vegetables. I found that this new, healthier mode of living had a dramatic effect on my symptoms.”

A combination of research and medical advice also led Adam to an official diagnosis – and, eventually, relief from his symptoms through the correct balance of medication.

Today, he’s committed to raising awareness of AERD, which is thought to affect many asthma sufferers – as well as raising funds for Fifth Sense during his sports endurance endeavours.

“My advice to anyone suffering with confusing symptoms is to visit their GP,” adds Adam. “And then be proactive with your own treatment plan.”

Find out more about AERD and Fifth Sense at fifthsense.org.uk

Post haste

Courier Editorial Panellist Nick Park on Epping postie Gavin Lewis’ runaway success.

Many of us can only dream of achieving a sub-three-hour marathon performance. As a former club athlete myself, I know how tough it can be to stagger anywhere near this illustrious milestone.

But my Epping Delivery Office colleague Gavin Lewis is, arguably, the UK’s paciest postie. His marathon personal best is two hours and 32 minutes, which he notched up in Tokyo in 2018. He completed his first London Marathon, in 2017, in two hours and 38 minutes. In fact, he’s clocked sub-threehour times in four London Marathons.

Last October, he took part in the Chicago Marathon, returning a time of two hours and 57 minutes.

Gavin, who’s also a talented short distance runner, is renowned for completing his round quickly and has been known to throw on his trainers to run to and from work.

“I was knocked back by coronavirus in 2022, so my new year target is to build back stronger as an athlete,” says Gavin.

“In March, I’m targeting a 75-minute Chelmsford Half Marathon run and would relish the opportunity to take part in the New York Marathon.”

The Postal Family Fund launches The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award bursary

The Postal Family Fund is delighted to have recently launched the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) bursary to support postal children involved in this life-changing experience. The bursary of up to £300 is to pay for equipment expenses for expeditions.

The DofE bursary application is now open. For more information on eligibility or to apply visit postalfamilyfund.org

Contact Us In Confidence

Your application will be dealt with in strict confidence. It will only be seen by members of the Postal Family Fund team.

Apply For Other Support

Rising Stars Bursary

Backing postal family children with an exceptional talent or passion.

University Bursary

Supporting postal family young people at university or an equivalent institution.

Regular Grant

Helping postal families with children who need extra financial support.

For more information, visit postalfamilyfund.org

Supporting postal families for over 150 years

‘ A big thank you to the Post Office Remembrance Fellowship for its kind donation of £25,000.

Power to the people

As our People App celebrates its second birthday, product manager Lee Woodhouse reflects on its evolution – and how it’s all about simplifying our lives.

South Wales

and

South

West regional operations director Lee Martin on the benefits of the People App

I’ve been involved with the People App steering group from its inception and I’m incredibly proud of what the team’s achieved. Our colleagues can now see their wage slips almost 36 hours earlier than before. This means any mistakes can be spotted earlier and addressed. We can now request ad hoc annual leave through the app, which is a fantastic step forward – as well as having full control of personal data and being able to update it ourselves. The People App’s helped reduce managerial tasks and queries, with so many teams having early visibility of wages. It’s had a positive impact on the time managers spend on day-to-day ad hoc requests and allows them to spend more time on the floor with their team. It’s been a huge success and I can’t wait to see what else the People App can bring for our people.

Just two years ago, we launched a pilot app to gauge demand for a system providing our colleagues with all their personal information in one place. Within weeks, there were more than 30,000 registered users – the app had gone ‘viral’. The popularity of the People App took us by surprise. We know people are using their smartphones for more things, more often. But the uptake proved they’re happy to switch to technology if it means a more streamlined, user-friendly experience.

The original app launched with five basic features. Today, there are 25 features and more than 110,000 registered users. Our colleagues want instant information that can be accessed from the one platform on their smartphone. The People App allows you direct access to use and manage many features –from viewing current and historic payslips to browsing My Bundle+ benefits and joining the conversation on Workplace. We’re continually working on developing and improving its functions for an enhanced user experience. Much of our work’s based on colleagues telling us how we can deliver a more robust, feature-rich app, including the support users receive when they encounter an issue.

Over the past year, we’ve rolled out a number of new features, such as access to local Trust scores, holiday pay payments, digital P60s and the most popular request: the ability to submit annual leave requests. We’re planning to launch more new features during 2023 – so hit the Workplace tile to keep in the know

ROUND TRIP

A 1974 Commer postbus on its journey from Llangurig to Llanidloes in Wales. Royal Mail operated a network of postbuses across the UK from 1967 to 2017. The twice-daily service combined the delivery and collection of mail with the transport of passengers in remote locations, such as isolated Scottish islands and rural communities. During the 1970s, the network was expanded to more than 200 routes across Wales, Scotland and England. A passenger could hail a postbus at any point on the driver’s delivery route. On 19 August 2017, the only remaining postbus, carrying just three passengers a week between Lairg and Tongue in Scotland, was terminated. Discover more about the history of this unique service and explore a postbus up close at The Postal Museum. Entry for Royal Mail Group colleagues is just £1. Visit postalmuseum.org

Frank the foody.

He loves cooking and fancies himself as a bit of a chef. He enjoys entertaining and cooking for his friends and family. He has also just saved money on his car and home insurance with us. 01622

Log in to your My Bundle+ account via

or through the People App between 1 March and midnight on 26 March 2023 to check rates and cover levels of the insurances available to you from 1 April 2023.

Existing policy holders need to check their accounts too, as rates may have changed or you may have moved up an age bracket.

And remember, through My Bundle+ you can make savings with all of these well-known brands and more…

Technology Benefit open any time through My Bundle+ at: mybundleplus.myroyalmail.com

Or scan the QR code with your smartphone for easy access!