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London 2020, the International Stamp Exhibition, will provide a wonderful opportunity to show others just how fascinating the hobby can be. Why not bring along youngsters to enjoy a day of fun.

Stamp Active, the voluntary group that promotes stamp collecting to young people in Great Britain, will be at the exhibition to encourage them to learn more about stamp collecting,. It will be providing free activities for young and novice collectors. Youngsters will receive free stamps, goodie bags and activity books and will be able to take part in fun activities including stamp art workshops and games. There will also be help on hand for any collectors who are new to the hobby and want help to get started. This will include displays of starter packs and accessories, Q & A sessions and advice on mounting and writing up a collection together with details of stamp competitions. Go to Gallery Bay 12.

London 2020 will be held from 2 to 9 May at the Business Design Centre in Islington, just a short walk from Angel Underground Station. Admission will be free except on the opening day, when the cost will be £10 (tickets to be bought at the door; for those under 18 admission is free).

This year marks not only the 180th anniversary of the Penny Black, but also the 150th anniversary of Great Britain’s first stamped postcard in 1870. On the stand of The Postal Museum can be seen material relating to British postcards.

To discover more, The Postal Museum itself is close to the Business Design Centre (bus routes 19 and 38 to Mount Pleasant), where there will be a new temporary exhibition called ‘Wish You Were Here: 150 Years of the British Postcard’.

In addition there is an opportunity to look ‘behind the scenes’ and visit the Museum’s high security vault, with members of the philatelic team leading this unique insight to the countless treasures of GB philately contained in the collections. In addition visitors will learn more of the conservation work and visit the digitisation studio. The tours will be on Monday, 4 May (10am), Wednesday, 6 May (2pm) and Thursday, 7 May (10am) and cost £25 per person. More information from www.postalmuseum.org.

Officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen in Novembr, the Royal Philatelic Society London is justifiably proud of its new premises at 15 Abchurch Lane in the City of London. At its stand at London 2020 it will demonstrate the facilities that are available at its new home, including the library, museum, meeting rooms, research facilities, plus the work of its Expert Committee and in publishing. There will be an opportunity to buy current publications and souvenirs.

For those who would like a tour of the new building, these are taking place by prior arrangements between 1pm and 4pm on Thursday, 7 May (Abchurch Lane is close to Bank Underground Station, just three stops from Angel).

At 4pm on Sunday, 3 May, the Royal will be holding an auction at its premises to help raise funds for its future. The lots in this auction can be viewed from 1pm.

Between 1pm and 8pm on Monday, 4 May, the Society will also be hosting the Signing of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, accompanied by a special exhibition. All are welcome to visit.

Another body that encourages the publication of research is the Stuart Rossiter Trust. On its stand (152 in the Reading Room for Literature exhibits) it will have information about how it can help Postal Historians with original research and the publication of that research. There will also be details of books available for purchase.