One local lady is carrying on her collection of charity stamps. Stella Law explained: “Christmas is a time when we particularly receive more cards and letters than normal, and so it’s a great time to remind your readers that there is something positive that stamps can be used for, after their initial purpose in the post has been fulfilled.”

Stella (aka Stella the Stamp!) collects stamps from ones and twos, right up to whole sackfuls. “I can take any stamps really. The format of the stamps changes in January, making the old ones obsolete, but I can still take these for the funds I collect for. In these most difficult times that we find ourselves in, every little helps.”

Money raised for the stamp collections goes to the local branch of Cats Protection, based at Cuckfield Cattery. Following the closure of Nationwide building society branches in Hurst and Hassocks, a friend of Stella’s in the area, has offered to be a collection point for charity stamps at 2 Dale Terrace in Hassocks. You can also take stamps to Stella direct (Stella the Stamp, 17 Barnard Gate, Balcombe Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1PQ) or to Cuckfield Cattery (Deaks Lane, Cuckfield).