ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF BRESCIA CALCIO - 2011 SAN MARINO

In June the Republic of San Marino will issue a stamp dedicated to the Centenary of the foundation of Brescia Football Club – Brescia Calcio: a philatelic issue to commemorate a historic event of major importance. In 1911 Brescia football club was founded out of a merger between the football associations led by Franco Apollonio: namely, Victoria, Unione Sportiva Bresciana and Gimnasium. The first Brescia football club team was entrusted to the technical guidance of Ettore Bacchelli. In the following years Brescia managed to emerge onto the national scene and in the 1929-1930 season took part on the first Series A championship. In 1936 it was named Associazione Calcio Brescia and since 1976 has been called Brescia Calcio. The stamp features the team’s logo.

CHRISTMAS - 2011 SAN MARINO

This souvenir sheet summarizes the foundations of the Nativity; the family with Joseph, the Virgin Mary and child, the majesty of the newborn, the homage of the Magi, the Star of Bethlehem that guided the visitors, the exultance of the heavenly choir of angels, the symbolic appeal of the ox and the ass and the light that sallies forth from the divine, “light to illumine the people …” on the Christian Way. Mount Titano also takes part in this great celebratory day of Christmas

ALCIDE DE GASPERI - 2011 SAN MARINO

On the two stamps, two images of De Gasperi taken from the archive of the Fondazione De Gasperi against a coloured background that recalls the Italian flag. 
On the € 0.50 stamp elements that commemorate the reconstruction of Italy not only materially but also socially, politically and economically, after the damage from the War and twenty years of Fascism, in a vision founded on work, family, justice and liberty; 
on the € 2.64 stamp, a souvenir of the affirmation of a new Italy at an international level, which in the name of peace made a clear choice for freedom and democracy in the face of the “Cold War”.
The frontal images, in green, are re-elaborated from two stamps of the “Democratica” series which accompanied the most important and incisive part of De Gasperi’s political life from the end of 1945 onwards: “Social Justice” by Renato Garrasi and “The Torch of Freedom” by Paolo Paschetto

30° ANNIVERSARY OF THE AZIENDA AUTONOMA FILATELICA E NUMISMATICA - 2011 SAN MARINO

The Law of 26 May 1981 no. 42 established the “Statute of the Azienda Autonoma di Stato Filatelica e Numismatica” to officially launch the company which receives requests to design and realize philatelic and numismatic issues for the State, manages new philatelic and numismatic items and organises promotional activities. The company’s organs include the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the Board of Auditors.
Function and management tasks are entrusted to a physical person who assumes the position of Director. This sheet recalls and commemorates the AASFN’s thirtieth anniversary and depicts the porticoes of the old Piazzetta Giuseppe Garibaldi market, probably built no earlier than 1903 and no later than 1907. It was Luigi Reffi, stone-cutter and quarryman, owner of the stone quarry now known as the Cava Antica, who realized the market portico that crowns Piazzetta Garibaldi behind the bell tower of the San Francesco church. Nowadays, part of the porticoes house the Company, while the south-western side contains tourist shops. The sheet is completed by allegorical balloons and kites representing Philately and Numismatics

MILAN CHAMPION OF ITALY - 2011 SAN MARINO

This is the first team in the world in terms of the number of International titles won, but from the 2003-2004 football season the national victory was missing, and so Shield number 18, won on the field very early on with respect to the end of the championship, acquires an even more special meaning. A victory born from conviction, tenacity and the abnegation of a solid compact group. On the stamp the fans’ tribute to the San Siro stadium “lit” by the home colours. The inscription “MILAN campione d’Italia 2010-2011”, the company crest and the crest of the eighteenth championship, hold aloft the entire team. A victory flowing from a capacity for aggregation, team spirit, and the amalgam created around the company. A sporting compactness, the merit of great champions, the technical staff, the managers and the twelfth man on the field, the “Red & Black” fans, The live indissoluble soul of the club from Via Turati

VISIT JERSEY - 2012 JERSEY

Following the theme set by PostEurop for 2012, our set of stamps highlights four of the many
reasons to ʻvisit Jerseyʼ. The largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey is situated 14 miles from the
Cotentin Peninsula, in Normandy, France and enjoys a particularly favourable climate during the
summer months. For many years, tourism has been one of the islandʼs greatest industries and it is
little wonder when one considers just how much it has to offer.
GOURMET JERSEY
Jerseyʼs forty-five square miles are largely made up of unspoilt countryside and arable land. Steep
south-facing slopes can be seen around the island, used extensively for farming the world-famous
Jersey Royal Potato and other crops. The warm climate provides perfect conditions for vineyards
and orchards in the production of local wines and cider, which may well be enjoyed with a selection
of Jersey seafood. Lobster and moules (or mussels) are available in abundance during the summer
months, as are crabs (Chancre and Spider), oysters and a variety of fish such as bass, black bream
and plaice.
OUTDOOR ACTIVE JERSEY
Being such an attractive island, many of the activities to be enjoyed take place at some of Jerseyʼs
beaches. Surfing has been a popular sport in the island since the 1950s. The bay of St Ouen
stretches for five miles along the entire length of the west coast and offers some of the best surfing
conditions in Europe. Sand yachts, or blokarts, can also be seen here and at St Aubinʼs Bay
making the most of the large stretches of sand. Sailing is of course very popular all around the
island as is kayaking, windsurfing and kite surfing whilst Hobie catamarans line the promenade at
Beaumont in the parish of St Peter.
GREEN JERSEY
In 1996, Jersey was the first destination in the world to receive Green Globe status. The award was
given in recognition of the progress which has been made within the island in developing schemes
such as coastal footpaths, cycle tracks and the green lane network. Walking is promoted within the
island and a third of visitors to Jersey enjoy the 15 miles of cliff paths, 46 miles of Green Lanes and
a host of self-guided walks including food trails, parish walks, ale trails and heritage walks. Together
with a 96 mile cycle network, there can be little better way to enjoy the islandʼs natural beauty and
architectural heritage.
HERITAGE
The islandʼs heritage can be traced back 250,000 years when Neolithic people began to arrive.
Dating back to 4000-3250BC, one of Europeʼs finest passage graves can be found at the historic
site of La Hougue Bie. A medieval chapel sits on top of the prehistoric mound and dolmen and
many artefacts dating back thousands of years are on show at the museum nearby. Magnificent
castles dominate both the east and south coasts; visitors can experience re-enactments at Elizabeth
Castle where the 1781 Jersey Militia put on a thrilling display of artillery during the summer months.
Technical details: Stamps, First Day Cover envelope and Presentation Pack painted by Colleen
Corlett. Stamps printed by Joh. Enschedé Security Print in Holland in four colour process offset
lithography in sheets of 10 (2 across x 5 down). Stamp die size 24mm deep x 60mm wide. FDC
image painted from photograph & pack photograph © Stuart Abraham, Jersey Photos. Stamp
products © Jersey Post Ltd 2012.

90th Anniversary of The Royal British Legion - 2011 GUERNSEY

The Royal British Legion is the nation's leading Armed Forces charity.  It plays a vital role not only in keeping alive the memory of those who have fought in wars but also by providing help and welfare to the serving and ex-Service community and their families. 

The Legion is best known for its annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem, the red poppy which, from its more humble beginnings in 1921, has since become a key annual event.

Following some of the bloodiest fighting of World War I in the Flanders and Picardy regions of Northern France, the only thing which would grow on the land was the poppy. Doctor John McCrae, who was serving there with the Canadian Armed Forces, wrote of the poppies in Flanders Fields, which has become one of the best known poems of  World War I. Moina Michael, an American War Secretary with the YMCA, was moved by McCrae's work and wrote: "And now the torch and Poppy red, wear in honour of our dead". She bought red poppies and sold them to her friends to raise money for Servicemen in need.  Her French colleague, Madame Guerin, suggested making artificial poppies for sale to help ex-Servicemen and their dependants.

In Britain, Major George Howson, a young infantry officer, formed the Disabled Society to help disabled ex-Servicemen and women from World War I. He suggested to the Legion that members of the Disabled Society could make poppies and so, in 1992, the Poppy Factory was founded.

The original poppy was designed so that workers with a disability could easily assemble it - a principle that has remained to this day; more than 70% of Poppy Factory employees have a disability or chronic illness.

Today, some 300,000 staff and volunteers organise the annual Poppy Appeal and, at the Legion's Poppy Factory in Richmond, Surrey, more than 30 million Remembrance poppies, 5 million remembrance petals, 100,000 wreaths and sprays, 750,000 Remembrance Crosses and other Remembrance items are produced each year.

We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of the Royal British Legion with our commemorative stamp issue, which serves to highlight the values and work of this wonderful charity.

Endangered Species: Blue Whale - 2011 GUERNSEY

Did you know that the blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have lived on planet earth? In fact blue whale calves enter the world already ranking among the world’s largest creatures. After almost a year inside its mother's womb, a baby blue whale emerges weighing up to 3 tons and measuring around 8 metres in length.

The average lifespan of a blue whale is estimated at around 80 to 90 years and the oldest blue whale found was believed to be around 110 years old.

To celebrate the latest in our endangered species series which features the blue whale we’ve pulled together some more interesting facts on this magnificent marine mammal: 

Scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus

Diet: Carnivore

Size: 25 to 32 metres
Weight: Up to 200 tons

Group name: Pod

Protection status: Endangered

Europa Forests - 2011 GUERNSEY

This year's Europa stamps theme is Forests, which has been chosen by PostEurop to reflect that 2011 has been declared the International Year oof Forests.

Complementing our Europa stamps is a brand new story book titled Penny and the Dragon, which sees the return of our fictional heroine Penny the Postie, illustrated and written by her creator Keith Robinson.

Having helped a pirate recover his ship from the mean Captain Bully Bones in her first ever adventure last year, Penny embarks on a new journey when she encounters a strange postbox on Forest Road, which contains only a small green parcel. When she reaches in for the parcel, something strange happens and Penny finds herself in an enchanted forest. Ever the diligent post lady, Penny sets off to deliver the parcel to its addressee: The Dragon, at Dragon’s Lair.

This wonderful story will delight children and adults alike, as our Guernsey heroine finds herself helping a knight called Sir Titch as she makes her way to the dragon’s lair. She hears tales of the dragon’s meanness from elves, fairies and trolls, but all is not what it seems and there is a small surprise in store...

Renowned illustrator Keith has cleverly woven the oak, hazel and horse-chestnut trees into the story book so that it complements the stamps perfectly. Following the story, in the epilogue, we find Penny at home, sitting at a desk with pens and paints against a background of shelves containing books about trees, fairy stories , knights and dragons. We are told that her adventure has inspired her to create some forest stamps; the inside flap contains the souvenir sheet which is based on an illustration in the book where Penny finds the nuts in among the leaves that wrapped the dragon’s parcel.

Royal Wedding - Prince William and Catherine - 2011 GUERNSEY

At 11am on Friday 29th April 2011 the wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton will take place. The venue is the thousand year old Westminster Abbey or to use its formal name - the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Dean of Westminster, and the Bishop of London will perform the ceremony together at the magnificent cathedral.

Afterwards, a grand procession featuring the newly married couple in the beautiful 1902 State Landau will wind through London on its way to Buckingham Palace.

A British Royal Wedding is an occasion like no other.  Traditional British pageantry is a sight to behold. The day has been declared a public holiday in the UK and many people here and indeed all across the commonwealth will be looking forward to enjoying watching the ceremony on the television.

Since their engagement, announced in November 2010 William and Kate as they are affectionately referred to by the public, have been busy making their own wedding plans. Although a national occasion it's expected that the couple will bring elements of their individual personalities to the marriage celebrations.
 
We have no doubt that the wedding will be everything the British public expects; a superb blend of pomp, pageantry and tradition and this most modern Royal Wedding is sure to be an unforgettable occasion.

To celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton Guernsey Post are producing an exclusive set of two miniature sheets. Purchased together the pair will feature a beautiful photographic image of William and Kate's engagement along with a stunning shot of the couple on their wedding day.

We're also thrilled to offer collectors a fabulous commemorative Royal Wedding folder which includes a complete set of all the Royal Wedding stamps produced by Guernsey Post.