The Polar Postal History Society of Great Britain was founded in late 1952 and has about 300 members from all over the world. The society's objects are to promote the general study of the postal history of the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

The society issues an illustrated newsletter Polar Post quarterly. Auctions of Polar philatelic material are held regularly and meetings are held twice a year in London. A library, composed of a large number of books and articles on Polar post, has been formed and members may borrow any item.

The annual subscription for 2007 and 2008 has been held at £10 per year for members resident in The United Kingdom and Europe and £15 per year for those resident in the rest of the world.

Details of membership and application forms are available from the membership secretary:

Robert F McMillan, 46 New Village Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire HU16 4NA, England (e-mail: polar@mcmillan.karoo.co.uk )

The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held at the British Philatelic Trust Centre in 107 Charterhouse Street on Saturday 3rd February 2007. The Society's Treasurer Gordon Buchan was pleased to report that the finances of the Society remain in good health. In view of the stability of the reserves subscription rates were agreed to continue at present levels for 2008.

As the Society draws it membership from around the world, the Quarterly Journal Polar Post is key in the Society being able to successfully function. The thanks of the Society were noted for the work that the editor John Youle continues to undertake.

At the meeting Gerry Pearce and Ron Burn stood down from the committee; both were thanked for their services to the Society over the years. A vacancy remains for a publicity officer, a role currently being undertaken jointly by the Chairman and Secretary.

Bil Tilbury was thanked for the work undertaken in running the auctions, which made a positive contribution to Society's funds. As part of a process of innovation photocopies of items comprising the Packet will be circulated this year which will allow overseas members to participate in the circuits.

In 2006 a brochure was produced incorporating a membership application form, and other moves were started to help raise the profile of the Society. For 2007 a postmark has been sponsored to mark International Polar Year, and it is the intention to redesign the Society's website. In September the PPHS will hold a residential weekend at The Royal Cambridge Hotel in Cambridge, and the Chairman was pleased to report that there were bookings already from over 15 members.

The committee works to promote the interests of the Society. Please support the officers of the Society by submitting articles to the Editor of Polar Post, putting potential recruits in contact with the Membership Secretary, and by attending Society events.

A full account of the meeting was published in the June edition of Polar Post.

The Polar Postal History Society will after all have a stand including four display frames, thanks to a late cancellation by another Society. Our secretary Robert Hurst and Treasurer Gordon Buchan will be manning the stand and be pleased to see any members of the Society who are able to attend.

The programme for the Residential Weekend was published in Polar Post, June 2007 and a booking form was enclosed with the December 2006 issue of Polar Post. Well over 30 members are now booked in and numbers thus far exceed those achieved for the Greenwich Weekend in 2004. This Weekend marks a return to Cambridge by popular request and will be held at THE ROYAL CAMBRIDGE HOTEL. The event is to mark the International Polar 2007/08, the 50th Anniversary of the International Geophysical Year 1957/58 and the 55th Anniversary of the founding of the PPHSGB in 1952. Bookings can only be processed by Trevor Cornford up to 7th July 2007.