Stamp of approval for Royal Mail’s gesture

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SPORTY pupils in South Tyneside have got a stamp problem licked after a VIP package failed to strike gold.

Children at Simonside Primary School in Glasgow Road, Scotch Estate, Jarrow, were inspired to write to Paralympic wheelchair champion, David Weir, after he won four gold medals in the summer games in London.

But they were left disappointed after most of the commemorative stamps posted to the school on behalf of the wheelchair king went missing.

Deputy headteacher Edward Jackson said: “We had already enjoyed a great visit to the school by South Tyneside Paralympic swimming champion, Josef Craig, which was very inspiring for the children.

“Our pupils later received replies from top swimmers Rebecca Adlington and Ellie Simmonds.

“Bailey Hall, our head boy, then wrote to David Weir, but when the package arrived, it was already open, and most of the 26 special Paralympic stamps were missing. This was a great blow to the children, who had followed the Olympics and Paralympics very closely.”

But showing the kind of determination demonstrated by their sporting heroes, pupils wrote to Royal Mail, explaining about the missing sporting stamps.

The sporting saga eventually had a happy ending, after Royal Mail delivered a replacement package of Paralympic stamps and memorabilia.

Mr Jackson said staff and were “very proud” of how pupils had reacted to the postal drama.

“The children have even received an invitation from Royal Mail to visit its local sorting office at Team Valley, Gateshead, in the new year. We must thank Caroline Ruse, a customer service official at Royal Mail, for all her help in replacing the stamps,” Mr Jackson added.

Head boy Bailey, 10, of Jarrow, said: “We had to choose an athlete to write to and I selected David Weir.

“It was disappointing when most of the stamps were missing the first time, but I complained to Royal Mail and they sent a new set of stamps, which was great.”