Royal Mail : Postbox in Frome decorated in special festive design featuring 1st Class stamp created by local schoolboy, Ted Lewis-Clark

A schoolboy who won Royal Mail's 2017 Christmas Stamp Design Competition has had a postbox specially designed to mark his success.

The box in Scott Road, Frome, was decorated with a specially designed wrap featuring Ted's 1 Class stamp. It will remain in place throughout Christmas and the New Year.

Ted said: 'I'm very excited about the post box, and to see my design on it will be very cool!'

Kate Stewart, Head of Art, Oakfield Academy said: It's a wonderful accolade for the school and we are are extremely proud of Ted and his achievement. Not only that but the £1,000 he has won for the art department will benefit all pupils with proposed workshops with a local artist and new art equipment.

Since winning the competition Ted, a pupil at Oakfield Academy, Frome, has attended Clarence House for a prize-giving presentation by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and had a postmark applied to millions of items of stamped mail that said: 'Congratulations Ted Lewis-Clark Winner of Royal Mail's Christmas Stamp Design Competition 2017'.

Ted also won £1000 and £1000 for his school.

Ted's winning design was one of two chosen from over 200,000 entries received from children aged 4-11 years across the UK in response to the question 'What does the Christmas season mean to you?'

This is only the fourth time in Royal Mail's 500-year history that children have designed the Christmas Stamps

Both winning designs were approved by HM The Queen.

The winner of the 2Class Christmas stamp design was Arwen Wilson from Dudley.

The 2017 Christmas stamps are on sale now fromwww.royalmail.com/christmas2017 by phone on 03457 641 641 and in all Post Offices throughout the UK.

Other Christmas stamps for different postal rates, and a religious-themed issue are also available.

ENDS

Note to editors

Media Inquiries
Natasha Ayivor
PR Manager Special Stamps
Email: natasha.ayivor@royalmail.com
Tel: 020 7449 8250
Mobile: 07436 280002

About Royal Mail Special Stamps
For more than 50 years Royal Mail's Special Stamp programme has commemorated anniversaries and celebrated events relevant to UK heritage and life. Today, there are an estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors and gift givers in the UK and millions worldwide. Her Majesty The Queen approves all UK stamp designs before they are issued.

About Royal Mail plc
Royal Mail plc is the parent company of Royal Mail Group Limited, the leading provider of postal and delivery services in the UK and the UK's designated universal postal service provider. UK Parcels, International and Letters ('UKPIL') comprises the company's UK and international parcels and letters delivery businesses operating under the 'Royal Mail' and 'Parcelforce Worldwide' brands. Through the Royal Mail Core Network, the company delivers a one-price-goes-anywhere service on a range of parcels and letters products. Royal Mail has the capability to deliver to more than 29 million addresses in the UK, six days a week (excluding UK public holidays). Parcelforce Worldwide operates a separate UK network which collects and delivers express parcels. Royal Mail also owns General Logistics Systems (GLS) which operates one of the largest ground-based, deferred parcel delivery networks in Europe.