Royal Mail is gearing up for what is always its “busiest period” of the year by recruiting an army of 16,000 temporary workers all across the country.
Although hiring for Christmas is what the postal service mainly has its sights set on, that’s not the only seasonal event it’s looking for extra help with, as many of the new temporary staff will begin work at the end of this month so they can cover Black Friday and Cyber Monday too.
The postal service says the festive season brings with it around double the normal volumes of parcels and stamped letters that need to be processed.
On top of this, the company says it’s also expecting an increased number of online shopping parcels to process this year too – which is why it’s hoping to welcome the tens of thousands of new staff on short-term roles before Christmas arrives.
Image: Royal Mail
The temporary positions will be located in 37 mail centres across the UK, with a variety of different roles and shifts available.
A whopping 176,500 sqm of extra temporary space – which is apparently equivalent to 16 football pitches – has been created across five parcel sort centres ready for the season, Royal Mail has confirmed, while the company’s two new automated ‘Super Hubs’, one of which is based in the North West in Warrington, and the other in Daventry, will also be hiring hundreds of additional staff.
Up to 600 new temporary staff will join the ‘Super Hub’ teams, as Royal Mail expects two million parcels per day to be processed across both sites.
Image: Royal Mail
Contracts for the 16,000 temporary roles run from late October through to early January 2024, with the period for the additional temporary work including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but will be at its peak in December.
“We are pulling out all the stops to deliver Christmas,” Royal Mail’s Chief Operating Officer, Grant McPherson, said as the seasonal recruitment drive was launched.
“It’s our busiest time of the year and we know how important it is to deliver on time for our customers, so by planning ahead, hiring more people, vans and trucks, we are well-prepared to handle the increase in festive mail and parcels and deliver the high standards of service our customers expect from Royal Mail.”
Find out more about all the temporary seasonal roles available on the Royal Mail website here.
Featured Image – Royal Mail
News
Leeds’ most famous pub has announced the return of its annual FREE Beer Festival this summer
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Emily Sergeant -
26th October 2023 
