After the mass of slogans in March, April came in with a new one on day 1 - and continuation of an old one! I'm waiting for more post to arrive after the holiday weekend so that there will be more reports to back these up. Remember this is the only place where April slogans will be shown, so check back to the beginning of the month before taking time to scan and report. Also, the Action for Children slogan is the default, should there be any days without new slogans.
The World Autism Awareness Week was used on 29 March, followed by an Easter message on 30 March. But the former was used again at Exeter Mail Centre on 1 April. (Reported by BM)
World Autism
Awareness Week
29/03 - 04/04/2021
 |
| World Autism Awareness Week slogan postmark used 1 April at Exeter |
The other slogan reported for 1 April marks the fact that Robert Walpole was the first UK Prime Minister 300 years ago this week. This is reported by CH used at Jubilee Mail Centre 01-04-2021. It was also used on 3 April but I don't have any examples.
Robert Walpole enters office
as first UK Prime Minister
300 years ago
4 April 1721
 |
| Robert Walpole first UK Prime Minister slogan postmark 1 April at Jubilee Mail Centre. |
UPDATE 14 April My thanks to John E for reminding me that although there were no letter deliveries on
Good Friday (2 April) and no collections in England, Wales and N
Ireland, there were collections in Scotland - although this isn't a very good example from Edinburgh Mail Centre, but it does show the 5-line layout (on an envelope that shouldn't have been postmarked anyway!).
 |
| Robert Walpole PM slogan Edinburgh 2 April 2021 |
The slogan thus exists only in this format on 2 April, as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness only have iLSMs - no IMPs, with the 'logo' version.
UPDATE 7 APRIL: My thanks to KD for providing two examples of the second new slogan marking World Health Day. This is a World Health Organisation initiative - "a new campaign to build a fairer, healthier world." The slogan is shown used at Swindon and Aberdeen Mail Centres on 06-04-202.
World Health Day
7 April 2021
#worldhealthday
 |
| World Health Day 7 April slogans used at Aberdeen and Swindon 06-04-2021. |
UPDATE 20 April. Following the death of HRH Prince Philip no new slogans were introduced last week. A new one is reported used on at Cornwall and Greenford/Windsor Mail Centres on 19/04/2021 promoting the Captain Tom Foundation's 100 Challenge.
Everyone is invited to take on a challenge around the number 100 anytime and anywhere over Captain Tom's birthday weekend. It's so simple.
 |
| Slogan postmark: Captain Tom 100 30th April - 3rd May, Greenford/Windsor Mail Centre. |
Here's the best example to date, from South East Anglia MC on 20/04/2021 in which you can actually read the dates and text.
 |
| Slogan postmark: Captain Tom 100 30th April - 3rd May, South East Anglia Mail Centre |
UPDATE: Here's the other layout from Peterborough Mail Centre 20-04-2021. We also had Bristol in the above format but it's unclear.
 |
| Slogan postmark: Captain Tom 100 30th April - 3rd May, Peterborough Mail Centre. |
UPDATE 5 MAY: JE has sent this example of Captain Tom 100 from Manchester dated 17/04/2021 which he says was the earliest day of use:
 |
| First day of use of Captain Tom 100 30th April - 3rd May slogan postmark, Manchester Mail Centre 17/04/2021 |
UPDATE 23 April. With local and parliamentary elections coming in England, Wales and Scotland Northern Ireland, * a new slogan urging electors to Post Early to Vote Early has made an appearance, albeit through a haze of fog and poor impressions. Examples here from Tyneside MC on 22/04/2021 and from Exeter on 21-04-2021, the latter maintaining the high standards that we have come to expect from there.
* Despite there being no elections in Northern Ireland, and the intended use of the Beyond 100 slogan only there, we have a report of the election slogan used on 1 May by Belfast.
The illustrated slogan reads Post Early to Vote Early for the Elections on Thursday 6 May. I won't attempt to show the layout as it varies in the different layouts, albeit both over five lines. It is to be hoped that we might get a good impression from somewhere.
 |
| Pair of poor examples of 'Post Early to Vote Early' postmark slogans. |
UPDATE 27 April: A better example from Manchester MC on 22/04/21 and an even better one from Chelmsford (South East Anglia MC) on 23/04/21 (thanks KD)
 |
| Pair of better examples of 'Post Early to Vote Early' postmark slogans. |
UPDATE 27 April: Possibly the last slogan for April (possibly) marks the centenary of the establishment of Northern Ireland. Appropriately the first to reach us came from a the Northern Ireland Mail Centre and appears to be 24/04/2021; the second is a surprising clear impression which we know is from Exeter MC 26-04-2021 (thanks BM). The Belfast date may follow the voting ones above, or it may have been running at the same time as there are no elections in Northern Ireland.
Our Story
in the Making
NORTHERN IRELAND
BEYOND 100
 |
| Our Story in the Making - Northern Ireland Beyond 100 slogan postmark from Belfast Mail Centre 24/04/2021 |
 |
| Our Story in the Making - Northern Ireland Beyond 100 slogan postmark from Exeter Mail Centre 26/04/2021 |
I've been sent some more from BW in Northern Ireland, courtesy of John Proctor). BW understands that it is to be used in the UK from 26/4 (yesterday) to 3/5/21 and N.I. only (i.e. Belfast) 3rd to 29 May. But our Belfast one shown above is almost certainly 24th; it arrived on 26th.
UPDATE 4 May: enclosing recently opened greetings cards I can now show better examples of the Northern Ireland Beyond 100 slogan, from Chester & N Wales (29/04/2021) and Gatwick Mail Centre (30/04/2021)
 |
| Our Story in the Making - Northern Ireland Beyond 100 slogan postmark from Chester Mail Centre 29/04/2021 |
 |
| Our Story in the Making - Northern Ireland Beyond 100 slogan postmark from Gatwick Mail Centre 30/04/2021 |
This will carry over to May from Northern Ireland so I hope to get some examples from readers there to start the new month. It will be interesting to see what happens in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Earlier reports of new ink supplies at Exeter Mail Centre appear to be premature - 6 April:
 |
| Poor example of a no-slogan format from Exeter 06-04-2021 with very little ink. |
As usual, this is the place for you to record slogan and other interesting postmarks for other collectors and for long-term recording by the British Postmark Society.
I'll try to record everything but if I don't fit yours in it's probably because I didn't have time when I first received your image and then forgot about it as it moved down the email list. Give me a nudge!
Good to see Exeter's print quality improving! Thank you for these posts, Ian. Always interesting.
ReplyDeleteExeter Print quality did not last long I have had an envelope today with what could be an advert for the elections on Thursday? May!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they can't get a better ink print, other Countries have no problems so why should we. RW