February 2010
If you know of anyone who deserves recognition for their support of our hobby, why not recommend them for this award. Details can be found on the ABPS website or contact Colin Searle for more information.
The closing date is March 1st 2010. So please hurry.
Contact Susan Oliver for forms, if required. Email: susan.m.oliver@virgin.net
We need You!
We are still looking for an Advertising Manager and Webmaster and help with other roles.
If you feel you can help ABPS in this way, please contact Colin Searle (details below).
Helpers are also needed at the various Festival of Stamps events in 2010,
Can you spare some time at one of the Exhibitions or events, particularly London 2010???
The long-awaited new issues of these important publications are now nearly ready for print and should be circulated in March. We are now seeking advertisers from dealers and societies that wish to promote themselves.
John Baron has now started as Chairman of ABPS. John is well known in the Thames Valley Federation and is looking forward to taking the hobby forward in the coming years. Thanks to Phil Kenton for all his hard work.
Please send your feedback and ideas to John by Email: baronial@btconnect.com
Dane Garrod is taking over this role from Hugh Osborne. Dane is aiming to contact Societies re support for events and publications. Thanks to Hugh Osborne for his support of ABPS in the past. Email: dane.garrod@tesco.net
Maurice Flack has taken over this role. Email: mauriceflack@hotmail.co.uk
The year 2009 showed only a slight reduction in membership over the previous year. The big disappointment was in the specialist societies where there was a net reduction of five societies, most significantly including the King George VI Collectors Society (262 UK members in 2008) and the Malta Study Circle (109 UK members in 2008). We hope to encourage them to rejoin to continue to support UK philately.
The number of Local Societies remained the same at 227. The number of Friends of Philately fell by three to 76, while the number of patrons remained the same at 23.
Total membership income was £22,160 (2008 = £22,596)
Renewal letters for 2010 will be sent out shortly to Societies, Friends and Patrons.
John Gledhill has now taken over as Editor and is looking forward to receiving your ideas about how the magazine can be improved. Would you prefer an A4 format?
The use of colour to help the flow of items was well received by respondents.
The reports from societies are coming in regularly so the next ABPS News is due in early March, following the current quarterly time-scales.
Please remember to send in your reports to John prior to the copy deadlines. They should be sent by e-mail to: jmgstamps@jgledhill.me.uk typed in a clear format and posted to him. He needs more photos too!
On this new ABPS website you will find lots of information about Clubs around the country and their activities. Please take a look and tell us what you think of the developments.
The Centenary Congress in Manchester was a great success and plans are well advanced for 2010.
You can now book you place. Please contact Paul Gaywood. His e-mail is: gaywood@talktalk.net Tel: 01772 713917 Put the date in your diary now!
July 22-25th 2010 at the Holiday Inn, Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The theme will be King George V.
Copies are still available of the new full-colour publication celebrating "100 Years of the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain" is now available to ABPS members at the usual 50% discount - £18 plus £3 p&p.
PCGB website www.pcgb.org.uk
2011: 7th to 10th July, Portsmouth
2012: Plans are also moving forward for Congress at Perth in October 2012.
Their Committee desires to host the national competitions around the same time.
This Committee is now including Workshops and Seminars in its scope and a number of judging seminars have been requested.
If Federations would like to have workshops on any subject, please contact John Sussex johndc.sussex@btinternet.com.
Members of the Executive Committee are willing to attend Federation and other regional events by invitation to talk about the role of ABPS. If you would like to know more about ABPS and its activities, please contact the PR Officer, John Davies on 01295 255831 or e-mail davies1890@btinternet.com.
Stamp Active Network will again be Spring Stampex with youth activities and an auction.
70 entries have been received for the Stamp Active Competition and will be displayed (36 faces).
The final draft for the Activity Book for 2010 has been approved and a CD for young people has also gone to print ready for the Show. Plans are well advanced for the youth area at London 2010.
Kidstamps continues to attract new members with around 700 now taking part.
Exhibitors are now being invited to register for participation in FIPA/FEPA events. 66 collectors have registered so far. The organiser is David Stirrup.
Please remember that information about the rules of exhibiting and judging can be found on the www.ukphilately.co.uk website.
On 21st January, in an endeavour to encourage more stamp collectors to show off their philatelic goodies, Chris and Susan Oliver led a seminar entitled "Displaying to your Local Club."
At a seminar planned for 13th October 2010 we will be discussing "Producing a Society Journal". This will be led be David Alford and Richard West.
The National P.S. is looking for more London based people to assist with manning the joint N.P.S. / A.B.P.S. information stands at Stampex and Philatex. Initially this is through our own membership, but this could be extended to all interested folk in the future.
We will be holding, in addition to its regular monthly meetings at the Phoenix Centre, an open meeting in Thatcham on 27th March 2010. This meeting is open to members and non-members and we anticipate that this should be enjoyable as was last years meeting at the same venue.
Similar provincial meetings are being held at Chelmsford and Salisbury on 26th June & 2nd October respectively.
Chris Oliver
For more information, or to give your comments, please contact those mentioned above, or the ABPS General Secretary E-mail: secretary@abps.org.uk
