Broughty Ferry’s Scouts enjoyed a staggering 40% increase in the volume of mail delivered by their Christmas card postal service, and their success has been attributed to widespread disillusionment with the Royal Mail.
The youngsters collected, sorted and delivered more than 7,100 cards in the weeks up to Christmas an increase of more than 2,000 on 2010.
A year earlier Broughty’s postal service suffered badly from the problems encountered at Royal Mail’s Dundee East depot where a new system of working and harsh winter weather severely affected deliveries.
Hundreds of customers complained about late or non-delivered Christmas cards or greetings messages being delivered to the wrong addresses.
Royal Mail was severely criticised for its poor performance and did issue a public apology.
The Scouts have run a Christmas mail service with proceeds going to Scout funds for a number of years and 2011 is understood to be their most successful yet.
Members of the 25th and 49th groups and explorers for 14 to 18-year-olds delivered more than 7,100 cards from five mail boxes in local shops.
Ferry ward councillor Derek Scott said: ”I imagine it was a direct response to the problems there were with Royal Mail the previous year.
”So many people complained to me about not getting cards, getting them late or getting them sent to the wrong houses by Royal Mail that they decided they were going to use the Scouts for their local deliveries instead.
”All credit to the Scouts for taking advantage of this and doing so well with their own service.”
David Reid of the Broughty Scout post committee acknowledged that the success may have been in some way due to what happened with Royal Mail.
”There may have been other reasons, too,” he said. ”The Scouts’ service is good with convenient mail boxes in shops throughout the area and it is also cheaper than the Royal Mail.
”It is now 36 pence for a second-class stamp, whereas the Broughty scouts take 20 pence per card.”
He thanked the Scouts who took part and the shops which took the post boxes, as well as the people who supported the Scouts. The effort raised more than £1,400 for the three Scout groups.