Whether you’re a witch, a fantastic fox or just a plain old twit, you won’t need a Golden Ticket to enjoy Royal Mail’s first special stamps of 2012 – a special set paying tribute to the wonderful work of author Roald Dahl.

A set of six stamps, launched on 10th January, celebrate some of Roald Dahl’s most popular stories and feature illustrations by Quentin Blake, whose iconic drawings are synonymous with Roald Dahl’s children’s classics. One of Roald Dahl’s most famous tales, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, appears with a beaming Charlie Bucket on the 1st Class stamp.  Other stamps depict much-loved favourites Fantastic Mr Fox (66p), James and the Giant Peach (68p), Matilda (76p), The Twits (£1) and The Witches (£1.10).

Roald Dahl’s timeless children’s classics celebrated on the first Royal Mail  Special Stamps issued in  2012:

  • Set of six stamps featuring iconic Dahl characters
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • The Fantastic Mr Fox
  • James and the Giant Peach
  • Matilda
  • The Twits
  • The Witches
  • 30th Anniversary of BFG celebrated on special sheet of four stamps
  • Iconic Quentin Blake illustrations
  • Ophelia Dahl: “I’m so excited that Royal Mail has honoured my father, Roald Dahl, with this stamp release”

The 30th anniversary of The BFG, or Big Friendly Giant, one of Roald Dahl’s hugely popular characters, is marked by a special sheet of four stamps all of which feature scenes from this legendary tale.

Ophelia Dahl, daughter of Roald, said: “I’m so excited that Royal Mail has honoured my father, Roald Dahl, with these stamps. My dad wrote thousands of letters home throughout his life and never dreamed that one day one of his own characters would grace a stamp. He’d be thrilled. This is an excellent way for us to kick off a year of celebrations to mark thirty years in print for The BFG and it’s great that the stamps include a collector’s set, devoted to The BFG and other characters from this book.”

Stephen Agar, Royal Mail Stamps spokesperson, said: “Roald Dahl’s wonderful stories and timeless creations have touched the lives of children and adults across the UK and around the world.

“We are delighted to be featuring some of Roald Dahl’s most loved stories as we start our 2012 special stamp programme. Later in the year we will be celebrating the life of another iconic writer, Charles Dickens, and a separate series on Britons of Distinction will all help make this a year to remember.”

www.royalmail.com/roalddahl

ROALD DAHL AND HIS LEGACY
Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful and loved storytellers. His stories are currently published in 49 languages worldwide. They continue to inspire the world’s most creative collaborators, resulting in wonderful new movie adaptations, classical music, opera, plays and musicals.
• Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity (formerly The Roald Dahl Foundation) makes seriously ill children’s lives better by raising money to support crucial care and support services across the UK.

• The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is an award-winning cultural, literary and education hub, which opened in 2005 in Great Missenden where Roald lived and wrote many of his best-loved works.
On 13 September 2006, the first national Roald Dahl Day was celebrated – on what would have been Roald’s 90th birthday. Response to the event was so phenomenal that Roald Dahl Day is now marked annually, throughout the world.

Over 100 million copies of Roald Dahl books have been sold globally.

The RSC version of MATILDA – book by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin – is running in London’s West End.

2012 marks 30 years since Roald Dahl’s classic book, THE BFG, was first published.
For further information, please visit:

www.roalddahl.com – the official website of Roald Dahl.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
At the Design Council in central London, Quentin Blake was recently presented with the Prince Philip Designers Prise.

The artist’s distinctive pen, ink and watercolour drawings have brought to life the work of Roald Dahl and this is recognised on the stamps.

Since his first drawings appeared in Punch when he was 16, Blake has become recognised around the world in a 60-year career. He became widely known in the 1970s, presenting the BBC’s Jackanory, where he illustrated the various stories on screen. He became the first ever Children’s Laureate in 1999.

ROALD DAHL STAMPS 

Value  Description
1st – First class inland letter rate Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
66p – Worldwide Postcard Rate Fantastic Mr Fox
68p – Europe up to 20gm James and the Giant Peach
76p – Basic airmail rate up to 10gm Matilda
£1 – Europe airmail up to 40gm The Twits
£1.10 – Rest of world airmail up to 20gm The Witches

ROALD DAHL MINIATURE SHEET

Value  Description
1st – First class inland letter rate The BFG and Sophie
68p – Europe up to 20gm The BFG and Sophie wake the Giants
76p –  Basic airmail rate up to 10gm Sophie on the Queen’s Window Sill
£1 – Europe airmail up to 40gm The BFG and Sophie at the Writing Desk