Royal Mail announced that it has received 110,000 applications across the UK for 18,000 seasonal workers to help sort its Christmas mailbag of around two billion items.

Seasonal workers have already started working in Royal Mail locations across the UK to support Royal Mail’s permanent 130,000 postmen and women who sort and deliver the mail all year round, including Christmas, the busiest time of the year for the postal service. 

More than six applicants for every job have so far applied for seasonal Christmas roles since the recruitment campaign was launched in September. Last year, the total number of applications for the Christmas seasonal roles was 70,000.

The majority of the 18,000 roles have been filled but more seasonal recruits are required in Bristol, Peterborough, Portsmouth and Northampton.

Royal Mail’s Managing Director of Operations and Modernisation, Mark Higson, said: “Christmas is the busiest time of the year for Royal Mail. We are delighted at the response from people keen to help us sort the Christmas mailbag of around two billion items.

“More seasonal recruits are required in Bristol, Peterborough, Portsmouth and Northampton. We look forward receiving applications from people who want to work in those areas and earn some extra money over the festive season”

Helping to sort the post 
The seasonal workers are being recruited to work in mail and distribution centres across the UK. The recruits will help to sort Christmas cards and packets before they go to around 1,400 delivery offices for postmen and women to take out on their rounds.

Royal Mail is for the first time opening a dedicated packet network as part of a £15 million additional investment it is making in its Christmas operation. The Swansea hub, which opened last week, is currently handling 90,000 items over a 24 hour period. This will rise to 100,000 items a day during the peak festive time. It is taking on 250 seasonal recruits.

One of the seasonal recruits is Tarkam Oncu, 32, who was out of work for 12 months before joining Royal Mail’s Christmas operation. He said: “I am really enjoying the work. It is physically hard at times but I would much rather be working than not. I have always wanted to work for Royal Mail and I am hoping they might take me on after Christmas as a delivery postman. “Joanne Joseph, 24, works as a supply teacher in primary schools and previously worked in a nightclub. She said: “I really enjoy supply teaching but the jobs are pretty erratic. I was pleased to get this job as it will be good money for me in time for Christmas.”

Lloyd Afan-Jones, 20, previously worked at Port Talbot steelworks and has been out of work for four months. He said: ”As soon as I saw Royal Mail were taking on people for Christmas I jumped at the chance. I have always wanted to get a job as a postman and this work might lead to that. The work is hard but I am enjoying it and the people working here are really friendly and helpful.”

Source: Royal Mail 

published November 27th, 2011