A CAMPAIGN has been launched to turn Marlow's High Street post box gold in tribute to Sir Steve Redgrave and the town's various Olympians.

Marlovians, who felt snubbed when it came to the Olympic torch route, are signing up to an internet petition.

Nearly 250 signatures had been gained by the time we went to press in just a few days.

Royal Mail is painting post boxes gold around the country to honour victorious Olympic athletes.

However, winning rower Katherine Grainger has selected Aberdeen, her family's town, rather than her adopted home of Marlow.

If the appeal is successful the double post box in the High Street would be painted golden.

Campaigners say already they have garnered the support of Professor Greg Whyte, a former Olympian and celebrity trainer, from Marlow Bottom, Olympic rower Sarah Winckless and Mayor Jocelyn Towns.

The petition has been started by residents Octavia Holmes and Dave Hampton.

See link below.

Tim Ashburner, founder of Marlow FM, which is backing the petition, said: "We think Marlow should be pretty much at the top of the list when it comes to golden post boxes because of Sir Steve Redgrave and the amount of rowers and Olympians from the town.

"To restrict it only to London winners would be shortsighted.

"There's a lot of ill feeling that the torch didn't come to Marlow, a lot of people were very angry that the torch came to Bisham for a virtually closed event, just down the road.

"Marlow and Sir Steve Redgrave should be recognised and this would go some way to making up for what happened with the torch."

The Royal Mail, however, did not offer much hope for the campaign.

The organisation told the Free Press it is solely concentrating on current Olympians, competing at the London 2012 games.

The sheer number of former gold medal winners would make it hard to go beyond this, the Royal Mail added.

Spokesman Nick Martens said: "We have no current plans to paint additional post-boxes gold."

Do you back the campaign? Leave your comments below.

 

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/royal-mail-golden-post-box-es-for-marlow-please