Royal solar-powered postbox gets students' seal of approval

Children using the first high-tech, solar-powered postbox in Northern Ireland to bear the cypher of King Charles III have given it their seal of approval.

The box in Belfast's York Street was unveiled on Wednesday and is the first of 600 brand new parcel postboxes being introduced across the UK.

Customers can use the postbox to send medium-sized parcels, as well as letters, and request proof of posting through the Royal Mail app.

Students from Belfast Royal Academy witnessed the unveiling of the new postbox; they had been asked to write a letter to the King about what they do to protect the environment in school.

The King is renowned for his interest in the environment and the topic featured in his speech to the US Congress.

Royal Mail has already taken steps to upgrade some of the old boxes that bear Queen Elizabeth II's cypher, with solar panels and power scanners.

In his letter to the King, Belfast Royal Academy pupil Yash said he included some suggestions on how to improve issues affecting the environment.

"Instead of using disposable water bottles, use reusable ones," he said.

"Whenever you leave a classroom, like a room, switch off the lights to save electricity."

Another pupil, Cole, said people need to take steps to sustain the environment for future generations.

He also concluded his letter by signing off in Latin, which he hopes impresses the King.

"In Latin I said, 'God save the King' and that 'we are guardians of nature'," Cole said.

Noah said: "I think it's important people understand how the environment works and how we're all interconnected by it."

Kaveesh said he told the King about what steps could be taken to save wildlife.

Customers can drop off their parcel by pressing a button on the postbox to scan the barcode on the label via the inbuilt scanner.

Once scanned, they then simply open the drawer and drop their parcel inside the postbox.

To request proof of posting - which is available in the Post Office - customers need to download and open the Royal Mail app on their phone, press 'get proof of posting' and then scan the label's barcode using the app.

There are currently about 115,000 postboxes in operation across the UK.

The tradition of using cyphers dates back to Queen Victoria's reign.

The King's cypher consists of his initial C, with the roman numeral III and an R for Rex - Latin for King - under a Tudor Crown.

Student Natalie said she "felt extremely honoured" to be able to write to the King and to be the first to use the new postbox.

"It feels really special," she said. "I'm only in form one and I get to do it, such an amazing honour."

David Gold from Royal Mail said the new solar-powered parcel boxes reflect the evolution of the historic postbox and how consumer behaviour is changing.

"As more and more people are now sending parcels and fewer letters are being sent, we have to have these postboxes," he said.

"But how brilliant that we're now using solar power, being able to generate the electricity to make these postboxes adaptable so that they can also accept parcels as well as letters.

"It's a really important moment for Royal Mail."