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Our Circle brings together a wide range of people interested in the fascinating world of Dutch philately, living mostly in the UK, but also in the Netherlands and wider afield. As well as the Netherlands, we cover her former colonies (Netherlands East Indies, Netherlands New Guinea, Netherlands Antilles, Suriname) and Indonesia. We publish ongoing information on the stamps and postal history of those territories, provide a forum for members to exchange specialist knowledge, and opportunities for them to add to their collections.

The Netherlands Philatelist is our highly regarded journal, published three times a year and sent to all members. It contains articles based on members' own researches and items of special interest or study from a variety of sources. We complement it with an informative Newsletter, also published three times a year. This keeps members in touch with Circle affairs, gives details of new issues, special cancellations, postal services, forthcoming events, and deals with members' queries and subsequent answers.

We have an extensive Library of over 400 items, comprising books, magazines, research papers and the like, in both English and Dutch. Members can borrow these for detailed study, or obtain photocopies of suitable items.

We hold postal auctions of stamps, postal history and literature several times a year, open to all members. We circulate packets, although in the UK only, due to insurance restrictions. Members may choose to receive Netherlands and/or Colonies packets. Both our auctions and packets enable members to acquire and also sell material.

Our members get together in the spring every year for a week-end Congress at varying locations in the UK, to meet one another face-to-face, for displays and discussions, an auction and a bourse. The atmosphere is particularly friendly, relative beginners as well as experts are welcomed, as also are occasional members from overseas, and the social highlight of the weekend is our Annual Dinner. We organise a separate programme for partners and guests who are not philatelically minded.

We also occasionally organise regional meetings to coincide with leading fairs or major exhibitions, and groups of members occasionally visit the Netherlands for major events.

The Netherlands Philatelic Circle was originally formed in Glasgow in 1946, a time immediately after WW2 when ties with the Netherlands were particularly close, and it has continued to prosper and maintain close links across the North Sea.

The current subscription for UK members is £10.00 per annum, £15.00 per annum for European members or £20.00 for the rest of the world; this includes hard copies of all publications. Electronic versions only of all publications are available to members paying a reduced subscription of £5.00 per annum

At the present time all new members, on joining the Circle, will receive entirely free of charge, a copy of the book Introducing Combi-Mail - Aeropostal History by our late member Frans J. van Beveren, distinguished international philatelist and author. This has become the standard work on postal markings usually on commercial or private airmail, which play a major role in determining flown routes. It is a valuable reference book for all interested in postal history not just aerophilatelists, and covers 89 different countries. In hardback, 256 pages, with almost 400 black and white and 32 full colour illustrations.

For any further information not on our website, please contact our President: Ray Welland, on 01389 762502 or raywelland@hotmail.com

Public Relations Officer
RAY WELLAND
6,Cardross Road, DUMBARTON
West Dunbartonshire
Tel: 01389 762502
Email: raywelland@hotmail.com