Preparations for the Gozo Philatelic Society annual meeting to be held at Il-Ħaġar cultural centre in Victoria on Sunday, January 26, are underway.

However, the GPS office in Victoria, which is open to members who look for philatelic information and material, is being spruced up to welcome new members and others who have philately at heart. A large variety of stamps and covers, along with past editions of the full-colour GPS newsletter, are on display.

The offices, besides serving as a place for committee meetings, also house a library and an archive. At the library, one finds mainly publications, often donated to the society. However, an outstanding gift is a collection of Melitensia philately, donated by German member Wolfgang Juncker. The collection includes files and albums containing an impressive number of exceptional items, like missing colours and defective perforations.

Visitors to the offices will be able to admire sets of Air Malta First Flight covers, village postmarks and commemorative cancellations.

GPS members and friends who intend to attend the meeting at Il-Ħaġar are to be seated by 9.30am. Certificates and prizes will be presented to participants in the annual November philatelic exhibition.

The main sponsor of the event is MaltaPost, a sign of the strong relationship between the two entities.