Robert Brown delivers Christmas cheer to Royal Mail posties at Rutherglen Delivery Office

12.00.00am GMT Mon 30th Nov 2009

Glasgow MSP Robert Brown this morning visited Royal Mail's Rutherglen Delivery Office to pass on best Christmas wishes and encouragement to the postmen and women as they come into their busiest time of year.

Mr Brown was shown round the Delivery Office by local Delivery Office manager Alan Drysdale and was introduced to the postmen and women who are working hard doing their bit to sort and deliver the area's share of the estimated total Scottish Christmas postbag of 200 million items.

100 staff at Rutherglen delivery office deal with around 700,000 to 1,000,000 items per week during the Christmas period, including over 100,000 packets.

Each postman delivers around 2,000 pieces of mail a day to around 500 houses in the Rutherglen area.

Robert Brown said:

"It was great to meet the hard-working Royal Mail postmen and women at Rutherglen Delivery Office and to see at first hand just how much effort they put into delivering for people at this time of year.

"I am always really impressed by enthusiasm of the Royal Mail staff. They do a great job in all weathers, particularly in the face of the changing nature of postal business - with the reduction of business mail, and the ever increasing packets and jiffy bags at Christmas.

"The increase in packets generally from the rise of internet shopping is huge - but at winter specific postal workers have to be allocated just to sort and deliver these packets.

"For example I couldn't believe that Marks and Spencer send out around 250 tracked parcels a day to people in Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

"The postmen and women do such an important job, particularly at this time of year and I'd like to thank them for their efforts and wish them all the best over the busy festive period."

Alan Drysdale, Royal Mail Delivery Office Manager at Rutherglen said:

"Christmas is the busiest time of year, and our people really do pull out all the stops throughout the year to ensure mail is delivered quickly but even more so over the busy festive period. So we are pleased that Robert Brown MSP came along to witness the hard work that goes on behind the scenes."

He added: "The postal staff do a fantastic job at this time of year to ensure that friends and families stay in touch through their Christmas greetings and gifts. And as usual, we urge our customers to post early so that friends and family have longer to enjoy their Christmas greetings!"

It is also vital that people remember the last posting dates for mail. These are:

• Monday 21 December for 1st Class items

• Friday 18 December for 2nd Class items

• Wednesday 23 December for Special Delivery items

• Friday 11 December for airmail items to Western Europe

• Tuesday 10 December for Eastern Europe, the USA, Canada and Japan

• Friday 4 December for mail to the rest of the world

Customers can help Royal Mail ensure that all their letters, cards and parcels are delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible by taking a few easy steps:

• Use a 1st Class stamp! - Post 1st Class for just 39p and have your Christmas card delivered the next day - anywhere in the UK.

• Post early! - Avoid disappointment by posting your cards and parcels early. The last posting dates this Christmas are: December 18 for 2nd Class mail; December 21 for 1st Class mail; December 23 for Special Delivery.

• Use a postcode! - A clearly addressed card or parcel, with a postcode, and return address on the back of the envelope, will ensure quick and efficient delivery.

• Use Special Delivery - For valuable packages and parcels guarantee delivery with Royal Mail's Special Delivery, which means your gift is tracked, traced and insured against loss.

• For more information about Christmas with Royal Mail visit: www.royalmail.com or call 08457 740 740.