This section includes any advice and resources for missionaries and overseas Christian workers who are posting items to, or receiving mail from, the UK.
Post advice
If you're in a place where you have regular contact with people travelling to and from the UK, you can usually ask them to take your UK bound post for you and post it when back in the UK. Make sure you have a stock of UK stamps with you if you want to do this and check out the new Royal Mail prices that go by size and weight!
You can have your UK post re-directed by airmail to an overseas address for up to two years.
Security tips on handling post
As some Christian organisations have been the target of recent terrorist attacks, here are a few bits of advice from the US postal service on handling mail.
If the letter is at all lopsided or lumpy in appearance, don't be so quick to tear it open. Be suspicious. What else should make you suspicious?
- It's hand-addressed and has no return address or bears one that you can't read
- It's sealed with excessive amounts of tape
- It's marked with restrictive endorsements such as "Personal" or "confidential"
- It has excessive postage
Further precautions:
- Don't handle it if you suspect at all that it might be contaminated
- Don't shake it, bump it, or sniff it
- Wash your hands thoroughly
- Notify your local law enforcement authorities
( Thanks to BRIGADA for this info)
Postal Rates
This site has links to postal rates and other information for many countries worldwide.Website: www.postalrates.info
Post Info
This is a site with links to post providers in different countries. You can look up the post office web site/details of many countries, find out the postage rates and even obtain postcodes for some.Website: http://postinfo.net
Royal Mail
This site covers all the services that the Royal Mail offer:
Website: www.royalmail.co.ukPostal rate changes
This website will help you keep up with changes to UK Postal Rates. You may, however, purchase 1st or 2nd class stamps and they will still be valid for any subsequent rate increase. These are useful for taking overseas so that you can send back letters to the UK with colleagues to be posted within the UK once they arrive.Redirection service
You can have your UK post re-directed by airmail to an overseas address for up to two years. Forms available online or from any UK Post Office.Christmas last posting dates
Dates may vary each year by one or two days
2009 Dates:
Surface - All non-European destinations not listed below: 1 Oct
Surface - Far East (except Hong Kong & Singapore) and Middle East: 6 Oct
Surface - Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and the USA: 20 Oct
Surface - Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, Greece, Iceland: 10 Nov
Surface - Western Europe (except the above): 24 Nov
Airmail - All non-European destinations (except Canada, USA, Japan): 4 Dec
Airmail - Canada, USA, Japan & Eastern Europe: 10 Dec
Airmail - Western Europe: 11 Dec
UK Inland - Second Class: 18 Dec
UK Inland - First Class: 21 Dec
Tel: 0845 7740 740 within the UK or ++ 44 117 937 7502 from abroad.
Mailing Preference Service
If you're redirecting mail or if you're away from home for a significant amount of time, you might want to put a stop on junk mail. This service takes your name off the mail marketing lists.Website: www.mpsonline.org.uk
Boatmail.co.uk
Boatmail.co.uk provides secure and responsive mail forwarding services for all personal mail.Website: www.boatmail.co.uk
Email: info@boatmail.co.uk
Tel: 07984 215873
DHL
DHL have a local office in many countries and often provide cost effective and secure solutions for sending letters and parcels, small and large, worldwide.Website: www.dhl.com or www.dhl.co.uk
Tel: 0870 1100300
Docmail
Create and mail your post from your own PC using Docmail's online service. Great for newsletters. No minimum order.Website: www.cfhdocmail.com
emailmymail
emailmymail is a means for you to receive your postal mail (snail mail) in your email inbox each and every day that you are away from home. It works by scanning your post using their 'state of the art' scanners and emailing it to you. emailmymail is available from just £9.99 per month.Website: www.emailmymail.co.uk
L-Mail
L-mail is an online service that enables you to send letters to any postal address via the Internet. They can print and post letters from over 30 worldwide locations, meaning that L-Mail is often faster and cheaper than traditional overseas mail. This service has been tested successfully by OSCAR.Website: www.l-mail.com
My UK Mail
My UK Mail serve UK and International customers, whether individuals or businesses. They provide customers with personal and professional mail handling services. Their customers include:• British citizens living overseas who still wish to receive their mail from home.
• Overseas residents who want to be able to buy from UK retailers and eBay sellers without the hassle of International shipping, or just to receive mail from the UK
• Travellers and other people on the move who want a permanent address to receive mail.
• Businesses who want professional and personal handling of their mail
• Businesses who require warehousing and order fulfillment facilities.
Website: www.my-uk-mail.co.uk
NetGram
Since 1995, NetGram's E-mail Bridge® has been turning e-mail into paper mail. Our automated, web and e-mail based systems provide ease and convenience whenever you need to send hard copy communications.Website: www.netgram.com
PC2Paper
PC2Paper enables the sending of real letters and cards from the Internet. PC2Paper also offer a virtual post box service enabling users to have a UK postal address, letters sent to this address are scanned in and made available for the user to read from the Internet. We also offer discount rates for missionaries and charity services news letters.Website: www.pc2paper.co.uk
Email: customerservice@pc2paper.co.uk
Send Marketing Solutions
Create and mail your post from your own PC using Send's online service. Great for newsletters.Website: www.sendmarketingsolutions.co.uk
Spring
Spring — the world's largest independent cross border mail distribution company – has over 60 local offices throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. They have a bulk mailing service that can be cost effective for sending numerous letters at once.Website: www.springglobalmail.com
Telegram Service
The Official Telegram Service sending messages Worldwide. We offer a wide selection of Greetings Telegrams as well as the traditional Telegram. Whether you need to send a message of important news or messages of love or celebration - say it all with a Telegram. Its something they will never forget.Website: www.telegramsonline.co.uk
Tel: 0800 190190
TGGWeb
This US company offer a convenient affordable postal mail service which can deliver email messages worldwide. You can now use your email to send letters giving you another route to communicate with others who are not connected to the Internet. This includes options for return receipt delivery confirmations.Website: www.tggweb.com/email_to_post.htm
Wycliffe Associates
WA can help with any aspect of your Prayer Letter mailing in the UK. They have volunteers who will do everything except write it. They can also put in the post any email that you want to send to your friends in the UK who don't yet have an email address. Postage is charged for both these services. more>>Website: www.wycliffeassociates.org.uk
Email: info@wa-uk.org
Tel: 01745 343300