Peter’s plea for foreign stamps

Home news

Jul 16, 2013

Life-long charity supporter Peter Longstaff is asking people across the region to save the stamps on the holiday postcards they receive to help boost his fundraising campaign for the Great North Air Ambulance.

Peter, who lives at Care UK’s Ventress Hall residential home, has been overwhelmed by the support shown by local people who have been collecting stamps and posting them to, or even delivering them to, the home in Trinity Road, Darlington.

Peter even had a chance to take a close look at the air ambulance when they stopped off at Rockcliffe Hall to meet him.

Peter said: “People have been very generous with their support, sending me British and foreign stamps. I would now like to be a bit cheeky, in a good cause, and ask anyone who gets a foreign stamp to please add it to our fundraising collection.

“Foreign stamps raise more money for this crucial emergency service, so I would ask, before you put any postcards in the recycling or pin them to your fridge, please cut or steam off the stamp and add it to our collection. We also still need British stamps, so it would be wonderful if people could keep those coming too.”

In addition to collecting stamps for the Great North Air Ambulance, Peter is now adding the collecting of unwanted or old post cards for the same charity and these too can be sent to the home or dropped into the collection box.

Judy Wray, who manages Ventress Hall, said: “We knew local people were generous and we knew they valued the air ambulance, but we have been stunned by people’s commitment to Peter’s fundraising project.

“People regularly pop in and drop off their stamps in the collection box in our reception area as well as posting them. We are also being supported by our Care UK sister homes throughout the region.

“Residents here and in our other homes often receive postcards and letters from family living or visiting abroad and they are very keen to support Peter.”

Mandy Drake from the Great Air Ambulance Service said: “We’d like to thank Peter for his ongoing support and encourage anyone who has stamps or postcards to donate them to the cause.

“The air ambulance flies more than one thousand missions every year, and it could not continue without support such as Peter’s.”