Mike Penning MP is encouraging children from Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding area take part in Royal Mail’s national competition to design a Christmas stamp for 2017.

Only three times in Royal Mail’s history has the official Christmas stamp been designed by children – in 1966, 1981 and 2013. The theme for this year’s competition is “What does Christmas mean to you?”, and two winners will see their designs made into one of the 1st or 2nd Class Christmas stamps for 2017. All children in the UK aged 4 to 11 can take part.

The winning designs will be approved by Her Majesty the Queen and used on millions of Christmas cards during the festive season. Overall winners will receive £1,000 in vouchers for their family, and £1,000 will be awarded to their school. Area winners and schools will each receive £500, and £100 will be awarded to both area runners up and their schools. Winners will be announced by the end of July.

Mike said: “This year’s Christmas Stamp Competition is only the fourth time in Royal Mail’s 500-year history that a child’s design will feature on UK Christmas stamps.

This competition represents a great chance for a child from Dacorum to have their design seen by millions, and personally approved by Her Majesty the Queen. Not only that, they would receive £1,000 in vouchers for them and their school.”

More information about the competition, including how to apply, is available at www.royalmail.com/stampcompetition

Hurry, all competition entries must be received by 17th March 2017.