Whether you've got a set of first-day covers, a stamp collection, or a bag of loose stamps, please send your stamps to the RSPB and help albatrosses. All the money raised will go towards the fight to save the albatross from becoming extinct.
On the planet for 50 million years, albatrosses are the largest flying birds in the world, but it’s estimated that around 80,000 of them are killed each year by longline and trawl fishing vessels. Seventeen of the 22 species of albatross are threatened with extinction.
Thankfully, solutions exist. In 2005 the RSPB, in conjunction with BirdLife International, created the Albatross Task Force (ATF) - a team of people who work with fishermen and advise them of the simplest and most effective ways to avoid accidentally catching and killing these iconic birds. Techniques such as using weighted lines to make baited hooks sink more quickly and the use of bird-scaring (tori) lines to deter the birds from the stern of fishing vessels are simple, yet effective measures. The charity’s stamp appeal, which has made over £100,000 since it began in 2004, encourages people to save stamps from their Christmas post and donate them to the RSPB to raise money for its Save the Albatross campaign.
Money raised so far has helped buy essential equipment for the Albatross Task Force; allowed the team to expand its work into countries such as Ecuador and Peru; and created new opportunities to research, develop and test innovative new mitigation technology.The charity is hoping to raise money from this year’s stamps appeal to help towards the ATF’s work in Uruguay in 2012.
The RSPB stamp appeal is one of the largest stamp appeals. It runs throughout the year, and in 2008 you helped raise over £10,000.
So, how does it work?
Well, the humble stamp has a resale value – small, but still valuable in large enough quantities. When you send in your stamps you are helping give these birds a brighter future. For example, £50’s worth of stamp sales will buy a tori-line (bird scaring device) for a longline fishing vessel.
The stamp scheme works in 2 ways:
For loose stamps, the RSPB works with a stamp dealer who operates with various charities, receiving stamps, selling them on and paying charities a proportion of the proceeds. We raise up to £3.50 per kg for UK stamps and £12.50 per kg for foreign stamps. For loose stamps, we ask that these are sent directly the dealer, and pre-sorted into UK and foreign please.
Please do note though, if you send in small quantities, the cost of postage will most likely outweigh the value of the stamps themselves. We suggest you save up your stamps into quantities of 2 kgs or more before sending in.
There are a number of ways that you can send in stamps:
Send loose stamps to: RSPB Stamps, PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 9XT……and preferably in 2 kilo quantities – thank you. Please note, this is the address of our dealer, not an RSPB office, so please do not send any correspondence - or donations! - to this address, thank you.
If you have first day covers, or stamp albums, please send them to: Save the Albatross Stamp Appeal (Special Stamps and Albums), RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds, SG19 2DL. Please do not send loose stamps here.
If you have a large number of stamps, you might like to consider combining delivering them with a visit to one of our nature reserves. Combine fabulous wildlife, a visit to the countryside and help albatrosses all in one go. You are also welcome to drop them off at one of our offices.
Unfortunately, due to lack of resources, we are unable to collect stamps from you.
