Peterborough's Compare the Market teams up with Royal Mail to support VE Day celebrations

A leading Peterborough company has transformed its head office into the UK’s only sorting office for VE mail.

Compare the Market, based in Pegasus House, Southgate Park, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, has unveiled a nationwide initiative to transform its base into the VE Mail sorting office.

VE Mail is a nationwide letter exchange between children and surviving Second World War veterans.

More than 50,000 children from 1,300 schools and youth organisations had requested a letter from a veteran setting out their wartime experience and what it means to them 80 years later.

Volunteers from Compare the Market have come together to sort through the letters submitted by children and schools from all over the UK.

Each note is being carefully reviewed and selected to be delivered to veterans to honour this significant day.

Royal Mail posties and their vans from the nearby Peterborough Mail Centre, where the VE mail is being processed for this initiative, visited Compare the Market’s headquarters to meet the dedicated team of volunteers and, of course, the beloved meerkats.

The collaboration reflects Compare the Market’s ongoing commitment to supporting their communities and recognising important moments in national history.

Sara Rolph, CSR Manager at Compare the Market, said: ““We’re proud to support VE Day through VE Mail, honouring the sacrifices of the past and connecting generations through memory.

"It is brilliant to see our colleagues and Royal Mail come together for such a unique and moving initiative.

"We’re looking forward to reading the heartfelt letters from children and sharing these with the veterans who inspired them.”

Greg Sage, Director Corporate Affairs & ESG at Royal Mail, said: “Through the simple act of writing letters, children are learning first-hand of the experiences of veterans 80 years ago during the Second World War.

"We are proud to support this campaign, which not only invites children to discover the charm of letter writing but also educates them about the sacrifices made by those who served."

Jon Knight, chief executive of Together Coalition, which has facilitated the initiative, said: “VE Mail has touched the hearts of millions - connecting generations through the simple act of letter writing.

"This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Royal Mail and Compare the Market, who have helped us honour our veterans, preserve their stories, and inspire young people with the values of courage, sacrifice and peace.

"Their support ensures that the voices of those who served in the Second World War will echo for generations to come.

"We are truly grateful.”