Royal Mail Stamp Programme for 2026

Coinciding with the release of details about the first issue of the year, Royal Mail have set out the programme for the first half of 2026.  As last year, they have withheld details about the second half, even from cover producers who have to do a lot of research before they can start printing designs and sponsoring handstamps.

Full details of the first issue will not be published here until the embargo date of 6 January but as Royal Mail's website includes this detail, I see no reason not to share the first six months' issues with you now.  Updated 20 April with most of the rest of the programme.

Thank you to the dozen or so readers here and on Stampboards who contributed over 70 suggestions, some of them frivolous (like the set that kicked off 'reader suggestions' many years ago), many others very unlikely, but some notable anniversaries and other worthy suggestions for which we will have to await the full programme to find out whether they match.  

As with previous years, there will be many stamp issues that no-one came anywhere near guessing and some that even when they are issued we will not really understand Royal Mail's justification.

Suggestions which I don't think will make it into the second half of the programme - Centenary of the General Strike, 75th year of Europa, 50th Anniversary of Dolly the Sheep, 150th anniversary of the Bell Telephone, The Archers (long-running BBC radio soap), Birth or Death Anniversaries of Agatha Christie (although that would be an easy option as there is already a precedent for using her material), Benjamin Britten, John Constable, Henry Blogg and David Beckham. 

Other subjects which stand a reasonable chance: The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 300th Anniversary of Fire Brigades, The King Charles Coastal Path, London Zoo.  

Thematic subjects suggested were: Theatre Buildings* - which could incorporate the National Theatre, the Royal Ballet, Royal Opera, and Royal Opera House all of which have anniversaries in 2026.  Music Giants were not given much chance, although Swedish group Abba, Freddie Mercury himself, Genesis, Gorillaz, Joy Division, Led Zeppelin, and Oasis all got a mention.  Trees were suggested both for themselves and for the National Arboretum (linking in with Remembrance), Christmas Trees at landmarks, and the Peak District National Park.  *If this comes about then the person who suggested Architecture might be in contention too!

Suggestions which might be deemed frivolous - but about which picture books have been published - include Solar power, Trademarks, and Wheelie Bins.

I think one of the problems with trying to predict is trying to remember what has happened in the not too distant past when, maybe, we took less interest in new issues.  Thus the 60th anniversary of Star Trek when that has been done to death anyway, Centenary of Winnie The Pooh ditto (although having the agreement with Disney for earlier issues might sway things), and the National Arboretum was the subject of a Commemorative Sheet.  

Anyway, for the time being, this is what we know.  My intention always is to add links to this table when the details of the issue appear in their own post, but sadly that rarely happens.  I don't mind if you nudge me, by email. 

This table has already been amended since my first draft because dates have changed and the order of some issues has been revised since we were first told.  So don't expect this to be the final even for the first half.  I've no idea when we will be able to add all the July-December details but most of the second half of the year has now been added.

Links in the table are to the main blogposts for the issue.

13th January	Stranger Things (Neflix series)
21st January	Concorde supersonic airliner
19th February	Hornby 125th
26th February	Roses - 50th Anniversary of the first set of stamps dedicated to this flower, which was issued on the centenary of the Royal National Rose Society
20th March	Lord of The Rings.
26th March	New Tariff definitives
21st April	Centenary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II
21st May	Castles  - these, or new ones?  Find out on 14 May!
23rd June	Waterfalls
9 July	Moths  Elephant Hawk Moth 2020
30 July	Military Jet Aircraft   Avro Vulcan 2018
20 August	Pets  Dog issued 2024
17 September	Music Giants: Duran Duran Duran Duran in New York City, 2005 By Tendai - https://www.flickr.com/photos/45624184@N00/18523842/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11877728
29  September	another issue to be confirmed
14 October	another issue to be confirmed
3rd November	Christmas
11 November	Remembrance Poppy issued 2008

July Slogan Postmarks and other interesting postal markings.

With the general election campaign in full swing, the Postal Vote slogan continued into July.  Other postmarks which I suggested might appear in June did not, and Dog Awareness Week is marked this month.

The reminder to return Postal Votes early.   A very clear example from Birmingham Mail Centre dated 02/07/2024 has been sent by JG,

Return your
postal vote early
for 4 July election 

Postal Vote slogan Birmingham Mail Centre 02/07/2024

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That was the last day for the voting slogan, and it was replaced the next day with the Dog Awareness Week slogan with the usual circular design, but without the dates, and with the added slogan Protect Your Postie.  Here's one from JG from SE Wales 03/07/2024.

DOG Awareness Week slogan, De Dd Cymru SE Wales 03/07/2024

UPDATE:  Thanks to JE for the other layout of this slogan from Croydon Mail Centre 04-07-2024

DOG Awareness Week slogan, Croydon Mail Centre 04-07-2024

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UPDATE 19 July:  My thanks to KD for sending this example of a Movember slogan, used in July!  Not from Tyne & Wear, the usual place for 'out-of-time' slogans, but Jubilee Mail Centre on 18-07-2024.  This is actually a wording that I don't remember seeing before:

It's time to rethink men's health
Be part of the solution at
Movember.com

 

New 'Movember' slogan used at Jubilee Mail Centre 18-07-2024 (yes, July!)

UPDATE 22 July.  My thanks to JLB for a second example of the Movember slogan from North & West Yorkshire Mail Centre - unfortunately the date is illegible, but it does seem likely that this is a nationwide campaign - I await information from those who have more access.
 

'Movember' slogan used at North & West Yorkshire Mail Centre ??-07-2024.

UPDATE 23 JULY: I've had a couple of reports of the Movember slogan from other mail centres, including Medway on 19th July.  But a letter we received this morning from Chester Mail Centre posted Monday 22nd July which uses the default British Heart Foundation slogan.

Default British Heart Foundation slogan, Chester & N Wales 22/07/2024

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OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

Again thanks to JLB who sent this copy of a Certificate of Posting for Online Postage. The package was taken to Lincoln DO (having failed to be collected) where it was stamped with this red oval.

Lincoln DO red oval handstamp dated 26 SEP 2023

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UPDATE: From time to time questions are asked on forums, or I get emails asking about the dumb handstamps introduced back in 2015.

This is the latest.  There aren't many of these in use now, and it may be that the ink-pads (they are supposed to be self-inking, like counter datestamps) cannot be renewed.  If the device is held opened, and banged onto a traditional ink-pad thus inking the frame, thus accounting for the box around the wavy lines.

I still think this would have been better:

Wavy lines and Maltese Cross handstamp trialled in 2015.

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If you have any other slogans used this month, or any other interesting postal markings from any period or place, please send them to the email address in the top right of this blog.  Thank you.

Remember, all postmarks appearing in July will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing. 

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Slogan postmarks used by Royal Mail in July 2016

My thanks to the several people who have mentioned or sent pictures of this month's first slogan.

1. Once again Royal Mail is marking Dog Awareness Week, for which they have had wide publicity in the media.  Here are both versions of the slogan, one from Greenford/Windsor MC 4 July, and one from Home Counties North MC on 6 July.

2.  I've been told that the latest slogan to hit the doormats advertises the Farnborough Air Show.   As promised, here is the slogan from Peterborough MC dated 13-07-2016.  The full slogan is

Farnborough

International Airshow

15 July 2016

Celebrating the birth

of international airmail

Please keep sending your reports for July and I will add them to this post.

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It's Dog Awareness Week - 30 June - 4 July 2014

Royal Mail has launched the annual Dog Awareness Week (30 June-4 July) to raise understanding of the issue of dog attacks on postmen and women - and members of the public.

On average around nine postmen and women a day are attacked by dogs across the UK with over 3,300 attacks taking place from April 2013 to April 2014, an 8 per cent increase on the previous year.

The number of attacks peaks during the school holidays.

Royal Mail wants to encourage responsible dog ownership and to appeal to dog owners to keep animals under control when the postman calls.

They look cute, but they can be vicious when a stranger approaches their domain.  (From personal experience, it doesn't help if the regular postman feeds biscuits to the dog, and you are his relief - with no biscuits!)

A nationwide Dog Awareness Week postmark is to be applied to letters from 30 June

As they said at our delivery office, it would be a good idea to have a Dog Awareness sticker on ALL mail, rather than just the stamped mail, given that such a large percentage of the daily mailbag is either franked or has a postage-paid impression.

See more at: http://www.royalmailgroup.com/

UPDATE: new image from Home Counties North (thanks Rob)

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