MY WORK involves a lot of driving.

To use the time pleasantly on the journeys, I enjoy viewing our English lifestyle, particularly in the countryside.

Often, I see the red telephone boxes we no longer use. It is good to see them looked after and still visible. I believe the local village residents organise their own red painting and use them for book store use.

However, my eyes always turn to the red post boxes. A part of our English life and history that remains. Historically they reflect our royalty with GR (George Rex), VR (Victoria Regina) and ER (Elizabeth Regina).

But what a shame it was see their dark, rusty coloured redness for a long time. Locally I now see they have been repainted in fresh, scarlet, redness again. A feeling of rebirth arises I viewed ‘The Postal Museum’ online and enjoyed reading about the ‘iconic symbol of our nation’ in Britain.

Originally post boxes were experimented in Jersey and Guernsey 1852/1853 and are now recognised the world over. The original colour of green, designed to reflect our nature, was not well liked which brought on the redness loved by all. I haven’t yet seen a gold post box, but the 2012 London Olympic games reminds me to hopefully see one too.

‘Postman Pat’ dressed in red, is also in my mind every day. I love to receive mail, letters and parcels and appreciate their knowledge of names and addresses.

Linda Price, Fyfield.