Priority Post Box for return of COVID tests

Fri 29 Apr 2022, 22:51 (last edited on Fri 29 Apr 2022, 23:22)

I was reminded by the discussion about our MP, that he can respond to specific issues.  I contacted him about the overflowing Priority Post Box on Ticknell Piece Road.  He informed me that Royal Mail had agreed to replace it with a larger box.  The time line was 3 to 6 months.

And then Mr Johnson decided that we were all safe from Covid and didn’t need  the tests anymore, which may be why nothing has happened!

Tue 4 Jan 2022, 20:13

I used the priority postbox at Ticknell Piece last week to return my PCR test. I got my results 3 days later. 

Tue 4 Jan 2022, 16:52

There is a post box on ticknell piece road for covid test well it was in use when I was at the co op I left 6 weeks ago so anything can change 

Tue 4 Jan 2022, 16:34

Given the current interest in the Priority Postbox at Ticknell Piece Rd, I have taken the liberty of reviving this thread. I assume that the reason it is so full is because it is only one to return PCR tests. As can be seen, Town Council Clerk lobbied for a box in Charlbury in August 2020. Looks like we need another, larger one.

Tue 27 Oct 2020, 16:11 (last edited on Tue 27 Oct 2020, 16:14)

Brian, I can confirm that yesterday I dropped off a letter (1st class) in that postbox around 3:15 pm and it was received this morning in Norwich.  The little day tag still was set to Mon when I visited, so it seems to be working as expected.  The box is fully signed for NHS Priority so I think the counter staff need to be advised correctly on this.

Tue 27 Oct 2020, 14:59

Can anyone confirm that the 'Priority' post box at Ticknell Piece Rd is operational? Whilst waiting at the P.O. counter in the Co-op today, I saw that they have a notice advising that the nearest such boxes are in Spelsbury and Finstock. When I asked if that was correct, the assistant was adamant that there is no Priority Post box in Charlbury.

Wed 7 Oct 2020, 08:11

As the 'OP' (I had to look it up - Original Poster, not Old Person!), I would like to publicly thank the Town Council and specifically the Town Clerk, Roger Clarke for sorting this out.

Tue 6 Oct 2020, 20:02 (last edited on Tue 6 Oct 2020, 20:10)

I am happy to report that Charlbury now has a Priority Post box "Supporting the NHS" with a last collection time of 4:00pm. That's the good news. The bad news, at least from the OP's (Stephen Andrews) perspective, is that it is the post box at the corner of Ticknell Piece Road, probably as far from his house as a post box can be in Charlbury.

Must have just happened today, because it was not so designated yesterday when I posted a letter.

Thu 27 Aug 2020, 11:21

Getting the postbox on Market Street replaced with a larger one will take ages -- given how long it took to get that one placed there. I seem to recall also that there were physical restraints (underground pipework etc) on placing a larger box at the new Market Street site.

The alternative would be to look for a larger postbox in the town. I think the one at the top of 9 Acres (by the Enstone Crossroads) might be more suitable. What do you think, Stephen? You know the size of the kits that have to be returned.

But perhaps there are also other larger postboxes in the town? Or, alternatively, more than 1 box could be given priority status. 

Thu 27 Aug 2020, 10:49 (last edited on Thu 27 Aug 2020, 11:04)

Great that Town Council are on the case and that the Chippy Sorting Office are taking action. If it is to become the only late collection Priority box in Charlbury, the new postbox in Market Street will of course need to be replaced with a much larger one, preferably with a wider mouth, as it is far too small to take more that a few test kits, let alone normal post that will be put in. 

Wed 26 Aug 2020, 14:02

As an interim measure, we are reliably informed by the Chipping Norton sorting office, that any items placed in the new postbox on Market Street before 1pm WILL be collected on that day. Roger Clarke (our Town Clerk) has been assiduously chasing up Royal Mail on all our behalves to get a Priority Box established in Charlbury and although they have agreed that we should have one, the bureaucratic process means that such an arrangement cannot be formally put in place immediately apparently. However, we have been told that post from the new box in Market Street is NEVER collected before 1pm and so items placed there before 1pm WILL be collected that day.

We will, of course, continue to press for the formal provision of a Priority box and will keep you informed of progress here

Mon 24 Aug 2020, 12:18

Or Royal Mail could just replace like for like and give the Post Box outside Cotswold Frames a later collection time since it is meant to be a replacement for the box outside the former Post Office.

Mon 24 Aug 2020, 12:01 (last edited on Mon 24 Aug 2020, 12:02)

The collection time at Charlbury Coop is listed as 16:55, so mail is already being regularly collected later than all the actual post boxes in town, so why not just knock a hole in the Coop wall just down from the Playing Close fountain and stick in a decent sized wall mounted priority postbox that will then coincide with where the post is internally placed at the moment? 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 20:45

I live near the post box in finstock and it has always been 4.30pm that the post is picked up from there. There is also a purple sticker on the box saying it is a priority box. 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 20:34

If you do decide for a home test kit (I did one as part of the KCL Covid app) and you cannot get to a Priority Post Box then a courier can be booked to come and collect the kit the following day. 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 16:48 (last edited on Fri 21 Aug 2020, 16:49)

Mandy, the Co-op is, of course, not a Priority Post Box, and Finstock is listed on the Royal Mail website as 16.00, not 16.30. Given the Priority Box at Cornbury is inaccessible (thanks to Helen & Nikki for this information), it's clear that the only Priority Box is out of town.

Whether or not Finstock is nearest depends quite where in Charlbury you live -- from my house Spelsbury is quite a lot nearer.

The website says that the priority boxes will get labels very soon. Given all this confusion, it can't come soon enough! 

Those wanting a home test or a test at Water Eaton (Oxford Parkway, no cycles, motorcycles or pedestrians) can apply on this website: https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 15:46

There’s a sign up in the co op post office that says where the box’s are the finstock one is along school road not opposite the shop. Finstock last pick up is 4.30pm and co op is 5.10pm 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 14:08

Call 119 to request a home test. It will be delivered within 48 hours. 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 14:00

How are people getting tests? 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 13:40

Somehow I missed the start of this topic. Having taken someone to find the Covid19 Test post box at Cornbury Park the directions ended at the house.  So we ended up at Finstock Post Office  and were directed to the labelled post box around 50 yards on the right hand side.

I felt cross at the time that both Finstock & Spelsbury have boxes but none within Charlbury town centre.  I know the boxes need collection at least at 4 pm, but surely we must have a later collection here.

As a member of Charlbury PPG I took up the subject at a meeting & Nikki Rycroft was able to confirm the exact whereabouts of the Cornbury Park box, within the house!  Surely we can obtain a special box for Charlbury.

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 12:00

Ah!  That's where I've been going wrong - I always say I'm fine and dandy!

Physically, at any rate. ;-)

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 11:50

I was sent because I returned the "not quite normal" response! Always makes me giggle ...

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 11:48

Thanks Christine.

Glad to hear you're now ok.

Strange, as I have the KC app as well, and have registered to be a "human guinea pig" with the NHS.

Perhaps they have enough volunteers already or are looking to cut down on the OAP Pension "burden"!

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 11:33 (last edited on Fri 21 Aug 2020, 11:36)

Hannen, you need to register first and also qualify for a test. But then it's really very good. The testing facility moved to Water Eaton quite recently. Before it was at Thornhill.

I'm fine thanks -- was sent by King's College in relation to their Covid Symptom Study app. They asked me to register as a NHS volunteer which is perhaps why the results came back so very quickly.

Despite the negative result, I was very poorly a few days later. I could not have driven & that's when I realised the postbox problems in Charlbury. I ended up isolating for another week as I did not want to ask a friend or relation to be posting off Covid samples.

Anyway, all fine now, thank goodness!

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 11:13

Gosh Christine, that is so helpful (Water Eaton).  I never knew that.

I and my Wife feel ok but...

I sincerely hope that you are "tickety boo".

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 11:12

Could I advise against trying to find the Covid Test priority post box at Cornbury Park, as it is hidden behind a door and up a flight of stairs. I have alerted both the Estate and WODC about this.  Our PO denied all knowledge of priority post boxes when I asked why it was there a couple of weeks ago.    The nearest is opposite the shop in Finstock just off the Witney road. 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 10:21 (last edited on Fri 21 Aug 2020, 10:29)

Liz, The priority post boxes are the ones with later collection times. For Charlbury, this only includes the Coop and Cornbury (picks up at 16.00 and also on Saturdays). Spelsbury also is 4 p.m. The times for the others listed on this website: https://www.royalmail.com/priority-postboxes. For our postcode the late time seems to be 4 p.m.

The samples need to be tested promptly which is why the timing matters. Also I think that it's to protect our posties that certain postboxes are designated priority. They use a plastic bag & use other precautions when emtying the box.

So getting a postbox in Charlbury to be designated a priority postbox is not just a matter of re-labelling, it means getting a later collection organised for one postbox. And wouldn't that in any case be good! 

The Royal Mail website is not very good (surprise, surprise), so it turns out that Enstone has a 17.00 collection (never knew that), but you can only find this information by spoofing a different address. Also Chipping Norton Delivery Office is 17.30 on a weekday & 12.00 on a Saturday.

By the way, for those who are needing a symptomatic test, I do recommend going to Water Eaton (Oxford Parkway) if you can get there (cars and vehicular access only). The test is very hard to do oneself, so I was pleased to have assistance; there was no waiting, and I had my results back in around 6 hours.

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 10:11

Perhaps as none of us including authorities have been in a position of dealing with anything like this before (luckily) we are all having to learn as we go. Treatment will be available at some point. Until such time is it really a hardship to wash hands more and use a face mask and use sanitizer and above all respect peoples personal space? "Smile"  masks are great for communicating with so much nicer to see eyes and mouth smile back as well as staying safe. 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 09:54

Seems to be yet another example of the muddle and confusion with which "the authorities" have dealt with this pandemic.

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 09:09 (last edited on Fri 21 Aug 2020, 09:17)

I am guessing that because the old postbox in the town centre was removed, and the new one by the deli has only been there for a very short time, the system doesn't recognise it and so has not designated it as a Priority Post Box. Apparently, the post office and the NHS have labelled some post boxes for people to post their Covid tests in.  But as collections round here are all once a day I can't really understand why it makes any difference which post box you use!

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 09:09

My husbands s C-19 test was collected via courier the day after it was delivered. 

Fri 21 Aug 2020, 08:45 (last edited on Fri 21 Aug 2020, 18:59)

This seems to be a stunning example of either stupidity or lack of knowledge on my part, or maybe a bit of both.

I was not even aware of such a thing as a "priority post box".

Presumably I can search for what that means and where I  would have to go were I in that situation to find that post box but can someone explain more of what it actually means.

I shall now go and do a web-search to see what I am able to find!

Thu 20 Aug 2020, 21:42

It's fairly obvious why tests can't be accepted in post offices and shops. You don't want potentially infected people walking into such places. I realise that doesn't apply to epidemiology type tests, but the priority tests are also for those suspect they might have been infected because they are symptomatic or have had contacts and it's the worst case that has to be catered for.

So, using post boxes makes sense. The real question then is why isn't one of the post boxes in the centre of Charlbury a priority Post Box. Maybe there is a reason why they aren't central for infection reasons, but it seems a bit odd there isn't a more convenient location for the town.

There may be a method in all this, as there is with the Co-op not accepting priority

Thu 20 Aug 2020, 20:17 (last edited on Thu 20 Aug 2020, 20:17)

Yes, I wondered about this when I needed a Covid test a few weeks ago. I was well enough to drive to Water Eaton, but had I been really poorly or without a car I would have been completely stuck. 

For me the nearest Priority Post Boxes come up as: Cornbury (entirely impracticable & I'm not sure about access), then Spelsbury, followed by Finstock, Shorthampton, Mount Skippet & Chadlington PO, also Stonesfield. 

All of these places have many fewer people living there than in Charlbury, but we are in effect disenfranchised. I wonder if the Town Council can put pressure on Royal Mail to make one of the postboxes in Charlbury a priority box. Otherwise, I think a lot of people will find themselves in difficulties.

Thu 20 Aug 2020, 19:32

Not finstock shop it is the post box along school road. Because you can not take them into a post office it has to be a priority post box. We are not allowed to except them sorry 

Thu 20 Aug 2020, 14:31

Indeed, Liz ... or by whether the Priority Post Box went to Eton or not ...

Thu 20 Aug 2020, 14:23 (last edited on Thu 20 Aug 2020, 14:24)

Probably decided by an algorithm!

Thu 20 Aug 2020, 14:15

I have randomly been selected to take part in a TRACK-COVID study and I have to post the return blood sample in a Priority Post Box. Assuming I am allowed to cycle up the drive, it seems the nearest box is at Cornbury Park, otherwise it is the Finstock Village Shop.  Given that mass, multiple testing maybe the new normal, can anyone explain why our Coop Post Office has not been selected or is not participating?