110,000 seek Christmas post jobs

The Royal Mail has received a record 110,000 applications across the UK for 18,000 seasonal workers, it was announced today.

The temporary employees have already started working in Royal Mail locations across the country to help the 130,000 permanent postmen and women deal with an expected two billion Christmas items.

More than six people have so far applied for every Christmas job since the recruitment campaign was launched in September.

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Last year, the total number of applications for the seasonal jobs was 70,000.

Royal Mail’s managing director of operations and modernisation, Mark Higson, said: “We are delighted at the response from people keen to help us sort the Christmas mailbag.

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

The seasonal staff will work in mail and distribution centres across the UK, helping 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.

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One of the temporary staff is Lloyd Afan-Jones, 20, who previously worked at Port Talbot steelworks in South Wales 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.”