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ABPS website reports:

The ABPS has awarded the Congress Medal 2024 to Bill Hedley, FRPSL. He has made and continues to make contributions to organised philately at all levels. He was elected President of the Federation of European Philatelic Associations in 2019 having previously served as a UK delegate and in 2023 he was re-elected for a second term of office.

Having recognised a gap in the international philatelic calendar he served as Chairman of the Organising Committee of EuroPhilex 2015. Under his chairmanship the show set out to differ from previous international exhibitions by attracting many more overseas dealers and securing special items such as the printing plate for the Mauritius 1847 Post Office issue and the printing machine used by Jean de Sperati for printing his forgeries, loaned from the Museum of the Royal Philatelic Society London. In addition, for the first time, he introduced the organisation of a very successful Philatelic Rarities Auction.

Bill is a qualified Postal History Judge both at national and international level and has acted as a UK Commissioner with responsibilities for ensuring the safe delivery and return of exhibitors’ material sent to overseas exhibitions.

He has served on the Executive Committee of ABPS and as a director of that company. He held the position of Chairman of the Exhibitions and International Committee together with directorships of ABPS Exhibitions Ltd and Stamp World Exhibitions. Of considerable benefit was his successful negotiation of an ongoing three-year arrangement with the National Imports Reliefs Unit of HM Revenue and Customs to obtain Duty Relief exempting from taxation the import and export of philatelic exhibits. As a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London, he had responsibilities, for many years, as Curator of the Museum and Archives and subsequently he was appointed Honorary Secretary serving on both Council and the Management Committee.

Bill holds the office of Honorary Treasurer of the Cinderella Stamp Club, a specialist society affiliated to ABPS. He is a Past President of the Kent Federation. As a Past President of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Philatelic Society his guidance is always available to the current committee. He is also an active member of the Austrian Philatelic Society, the Revenue Society and the Society of Postal Historians.

Bill Hedley was nominated by the Society for Postal Historians and the Royal Philatelic Society London and is a worthy recipient of the Congress Medal for 2024.

Signed by Yvonne Wheatley, FRPSL, Chairman ABPS Awards Committee.

Photo: Bill Hedley (right), President of FEPA, presents the Champions Class Grand Prix to Vittorio Morani at NOTOS 2021.
[photo credit: Hellenic Philatelic Society]

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