Are Children "Stamped Out"?

Britain's Daily Mail in an article titled "Stamped out: Why the Nation’s Children Turned Their Backs on the Hunting for a Penny Black" reports, "With concerns for the future of the traditional hobby increasing, national organisations are now making efforts to boost interest amongst children. However, they face an uphill struggle. In today’s hi-tech world the sight of a Penny Black or a rare stamp from the far corners of the globe no longer gets young hearts beating like it once did."

According to the article by Chris Brooke, "Kidstamp, the national organisation for junior stamp collectors, now has only 1,000 members, compared to around 100,000 who were signed up to a similar group in the 1990s."

Richard West, of the Royal Philatelic Society, is quoted as saying "Children are still ‘fascinated’ by a good stamp collection, although the interest is now higher at primary rather than secondary school level.

"The world is a smaller place these days and so the thrill of seeing stamps from faraway places has largely gone," he said.

"There are hopes that Olympic stamps may help revive the interest of children. But an image problem is hampering efforts to breathe new life into an old hobby," writes Brooke.

Erene Grieve, who runs the Stamps in Schools programme, is also quoted and said, "I hear children sneer at those who express an interest in stamps. If only Victoria and David Beckham would come out and say they collect stamps."

To read the entire article, click here.