Future in Action

Future in Action

Save Your Stamps To Help Save The Albatross

Put your Christmas stamps to good use and help stamp out Albatross deaths by giving the RSPB your used postage stamps – we can convert them to cash. In 2016 your stamps helped us raise £13,000!

So, how does it work?

We sell the stamps on. Each stamp has a small value, but in large quantities they’re valuable. When you send in your stamps you’re helping give Albatrosses a brighter future. For example, £50 worth of stamp sales will buy a tori-line (bird scaring device) for a longline fishing vessel.

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. Unfortunately, many Albatrosses die trying to grab an easy meal from the baited hooks meant for fish such as tuna. 17 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 to 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.

The stamp scheme works in two ways:

Loose used stamps: We raise up to £6 per kg for UK stamps and £15 per kg for foreign stamps. Please send loose stamps directly to the dealer, pre-sorted into UK and foreign please to: RSPB Stamps, PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 9XT.  Please do not send any non-stamp related correspondence or donations to this address.

We ask that stamp albums, first day covers and rare stamps (pre 1970) are sent to: Save the Albatross Stamp Appeal (Special Stamps and Albums), RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds SG19 2DL. Please do not send loose stamps here. We will send to a specialist auction house to achieve the best price we can.  If you send us your details in the package then we can let you know how much they raise.

Unfortunately, due to lack of resources, we are unable to collect stamps from you.

Do I need to take the stamp off the envelope?

Yes please – just tear off the corner with the stamp, ideally with no more than a quarter of an inch border.

“Not many people will be fortunate enough to see an Albatross, but everyone can take a role in trying to help them. If everyone could be encouraged to send in their stamps to the appeal these birds would have a brighter future,” commented Jenny Oldroyd, CEMEX UK Biodiversity Advisor.

To find out more about the work of the RSPB and BirdLife International’s Save the Albatross Campaign log onto: www.savethealbatross.net