Click here to view the December 2020 issue of the New Midlander. Any copy for the next edition should be delivered to the Editor, Dr. Ken Flint. Please keep the articles coming as it will keep the Midlander going.
Please note that the Stafford Stamp Show 2020 which was scheduled for Nov 13 & 14 at the Staffordshire County Showground has now been cancelled due to the increased Covid-19 restrictions in Staffordshire.
Societies are being asked to confirm their details for 2020-2021 - if there are any changes please send an updated Affiliation Form (download here) to the MPF Secretary, Dr. Ken Flint, otherwise just email to say the details are the same as last year. No Affiliation Fee is due this year due to the lack of meetings.
Click here to view the October 2020 issue of the New Midlander. Any copy for the next edition should be delivered to the Editor, Dr. Ken Flint by mid-November for publication in December 2020. Keep the articles coming as it will keep the Midlander going.
Click here to view the August 2020 issue of the New Midlander. Any copy for the next edition should be delivered to the Editor, Dr. Ken Flint for publication in October 2020. Any articles would be appreciated as otherwise it will be very short.
Gatherings in Covid-19 Secure Environments
The situation is confusing following the rule changes from 14th September - the previous guidance (which said that "Clubs or groups can begin to meet again in COVID-19 secure venues ... providing you socially distant from anyone you do not live with or is not in your support bubble") has changed to "Community facilites following Covid-19 secure guidelines can host more than 6 people in total, but no one should visit or socialise in a group greater than 6". Clarification is being sought. Any Society resuming meetings needs to have done a risk assessment in line with the requirements of their venue.
Resumption of Stamp Fairs
Social distancing, masks, some level of restrictions on the number attending at any one time, plus track and trace recording will no doubt apply.
- Wolverhampton Stamp Fair at Bradmore Social Club from Sunday Sept 6th
- The Sutton Coldfield fair from September 19th is re-opening at a new venue, Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church Centre, South Parade, Sutton Coldfield. B72 1QY. Also booked for Oct 17th and Nov 28th.
- Great Barr Stamp Fair at Collinwood Centre from Saturday September 26th
The Solihull Stamp Fair at Knowle in October 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus. The MPF Committee is considering what to do about the Autumn Convention and delayed 2020 AGM.
Society Resumption of Meetings
Societies are considering when they might resume meeting. Can societies please contact me (leamphil@gmail.com) with news on their plans.
- Banbury Stamp Society planned to resume meetings on 29th September but did not go ahead.
- Gloucestershire Philatelic Society plan to resume meetings on 7th September.
- Leicester Philatelic Society are using Zoom for their monthly meetings, certainly for the rest of this year. Programme for the last quarter as follows:
- 13/10 - Ian Dent 'Subtle Propaganda'; David Pollard 'Politics in the Post'; Alec Jeffreys 'SG1 Insight'
- 10/11 - Frank Walton FRPSL (visiting presenter) 'Wildings'
- 08/12 - Members' Displays
- Attendance has not disappointed and is up to the monthly average so far. It is giving some members the opportunity to interact and show some interesting displays.
An updated copy of the MPF List of Speakers is available here (July 2020). If you spot any errors then please let the MPF General Secretary know as soon as possible so that the list can be corrected.
The MPF Committee have decided that there will be no MPF affiliation fee for societies next season (2020-21). Amended affiliation forms will be issued to Societies in August.
Click here to view the June 2020 issue of the New Midlander. Any copy for the next edition should be delivered to the Editor, Dr. Ken Flint for publication in August 2020. Any articles would be appreciated as otherwise it will be very short.
Autumn Stampex 2020 Postponed
The Philatelic Traders’ Society, responsible for hosting Stampex International, has announced that the Autumn 2020 Stampex show scheduled for the 30th September to 3rd October has been postponed. The decision has been made following a full assessment of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic factors affecting the show, including safety and financial implications for our visitors and stakeholders. The show will be replaced with a Virtual Stampex event to be held online where you can still meet PTS members, shop for stamps, attend Stampex Talks and get special Stampex offers.
Cancellation of Stamp Fair & MPF Spring Convention, 17 May 2020, Benn Hall, Rugby
Taking in to consideration the Coronavirus situation at the moment, the increase in the number of cases over the next few weeks, the Government advice to avoid group meetings, the age profile of our hobby and the number of MPF societies that have already postponed or suspended meetings until further notice, it has been agreed with Simon Hemmings, the organiser of the actual fair, that the whole event should be cancelled. The AGM of the MPF will be rolled forward to the Autumn convention on Saturday, 31 October in Knowle - which by then has a far better chance of actually taking place.
Steven Harrison - Chairman, MPF
Other Cancellations:
- Great Barr Stamp Fair on 28th March has been cancelled.
- Some JRS Stamp, Postcard, Coins & Cigarette Cards Fairs have been cancelled, see website for latest status. Check before travelling.
- The next Knowle Fair, on Sunday 19th April, has been cancelled. There is no May fair and a decision about the fair in June will be made closer to the date.
- London 2020 has been rescheduled to February 2022.
- Tony Lester's next Auction on 5th April will be a postal auction only - the public auction has been cancelled. There is a lot more information on his website especially about viewing times and the need to book an appointment.
- Autumn Stampex 2020 has been postponed (see website).
- The Telford Stamp & Postcard Fair on 11th July is cancelled. A decision about the fair in October will be made closer to the date.
- The Solihull Stamp Fair at Knowle on 31st October is cancelled. Solihull P.S. is hoping to run the fair in October 2021.
Coronavirus Status
Society meetings are cancelled at the moment due to Government restrictions - you are advised to check with the Society before travelling to a meeting in the future.
- Banbury Stamp Society have cancelled their meetings until further notice.
- Birmingham Philatelic Society have postponed their meetings on 19th March, 2nd April and 16th April, and will not resume until a Government all clear.
- Cannock Philatelic Society have cancelled their meetings for April, May and June, and will review the situation in June.
- Coleshill Philatelic & Postcard Club have cancelled their meetings for March and April, and will review the situation for May.
- Coventry Stamp and Postcard Club have cancelled all meetings from 17th March until further notice.
- Dudley Philatelic Society have cancelled their meetings and will recommence with an AGM when possible.
- Evesham & District Philatelic Society have cancelled their Auction originally scheduled for 16th March and all other meetings until further notice.
- Hinckley & District Philatelic Society have cancelled all meetings from 17th March until further notice.
- Leamington & Warwick Philatelic Society will not resume meetings until 8th January 2021 at the earliest and will be in a new location (22 New Street, Leamington, CV31 1HP).
- Leicester Philatelic Society have cancelled all meeting up to and including August.
- Matlock Philatelic Society have cancelled their meeting in April and will probably cancel their meeting in May.
- Northamptonshire Philatelic Society have cancelled their meetings scheduled for 2nd April and 7th May.
- Nottinghamshire Philatelic Society have suspended their meeting programme, see their website.
- Radcliffe & District Philatelic Society have cancelled their meetings for March and April and are reviewing future meetings.
- Redditch Philatelic Society have cancelled their Auction on 21st March.
- Royal Sutton Coldfield Philatelic Society - all meetings are suspended until 21 April at the earliest. The situation will be reviewed prior to this date and a further communication sent out as to future meetings.
- Rugby & District Philatelic Society have cancelled all further meetings for this season, meetings should resume in September.
- Rushden & District Stamp Club have cancelled their meeting on 17th March and are reviewing future meetings.
- Solihull Philatelic Society will not restart their meetings until the beginning of 2021.
- South Birmingham Philatelic and Postcard Society has suspended all meetings until the end of April when the decision will be reviewed.
- The South Midlands Stamp Club have decided to defer resumption of their meetings until January 2021 when they will review the situation, see their website.
- Stafford Philatelic Society have cancelled their April meeting, May is unlikely and June is doubtful. The next meeting is expected to be September.
- Stratford-upon-Avon Philatelic Society will not resume their meetings in September and have decided to cancel all meetings until further notice until it is legal, safe and practical to resume.
- Stroud & District Philatelic Society have cancelled all their meetings up to and including May, meetings should resume in September.
- Telford Stamp & Card Club have cancelled their meetings in April, May & June, and hope to resume meetings in September. The Fair in April is cancelled.
- Wombourne & District Philatelic Society have cancelled their meetings in March, April and May.
- Worcester Philatelic & Postcard Society have cancelled their meetings until 21st May when the situation will be reviewed.
Click here to view the April 2020 issue of the New Midlander. Any copy for the next edition should be delivered to the Editor, Dr. Ken Flint by the last week in May for publication on 1st June 2020. Any articles would be appreciated as it will be very short due to lack of meetings.
Click here to view the February 2020 issue of the New Midlander. Any copy for the next edition should be delivered to the Editor, Dr. Ken Flint by the last week in March for publication on 1st April 2020.