Mailshots are heavy on funds (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Mailshots are heavy on funds

THE organisers of the charity fundraising Rockbourne Fairs say the vagaries of post office scales have cost the charity dear - after it was rocked by a bill for nearly £1,000 more than usual to cover postage for its annual mailshot.

Organisers said they were scrupulous about ensuring each envelope was within the weight limit for second-class post, so were horrified to discover that their mailing had fallen foul of post office scales, which seem to give different results in different locations.

In August, Rockbourne Fairs posted 7,500 programmes to supporters to promote the event in October.

Committee chairman Jennie Sherborne said that, as in previous years, they had used pre-stamped envelopes purchased from Royal Mail, and had been careful to ensure that, together with all the printed matter enclosed, all would come within the 60gm limit.

The post office in Southampton then told them that most of the envelopes weighed just over the 60gm limit for second-class post - but a survey of other local post offices revealed that their scales weighed the envelopes differently.

Committee members took examples to post offices in Fordingbridge and Sandleheath and the sorting office in Portsmouth.

In Fordingbridge, the envelope registered exactly 60gm on one set of scales and more on another, in Sandleheath it weighed more than 60gm and in Portsmouth the weight was confirmed at 60gm.

As the bulk of the mailing had gone via Southampton, Rockbourne Fairs has had to stump up the extra cost. Jennie Sherborne wrote to Post Office chief executive Adam Crozier, pointing out the discrepancy, but said he had refused to budge.

"It is a huge cost for us to bear," she said. "The heartbreaking thing is that we all work very hard to raise every penny for our nominated charities and claim no expenses.

"It is really disappointing and frustrating that, when some of the PO scales are clearly inaccurate, they do not give us the benefit of the doubt."

Rockbourne Fairs will take place on October 19 to 21 at Salisbury Racecourse.