SCOUTS have this week ditched their woggles for postbags as they start their annual Christmas card delivery service.

SCOUTS have this week ditched their woggles for postbags as they start their annual Christmas card delivery service.

Eight scout groups from across Ipswich run the operation - allowing people to post cards to anywhere in the borough.

Every card costs 15p to send, and money raised is split between the scout groups.

One of the organisers Denise Bloomfield, pointed out that there were strict rules about deliveries laid down by the Post Office.

She said: “We can only collect cards for two weeks and we cannot start more than a month before Christmas itself - which is why we start on November 25.

“It's the start of a frantic period of activity for us - but it's very important for all the scout groups involved.”

The collection has been going more than 20 years and over that time has raised tens of thousands of pounds for scouts in the town.

“The groups split the money raised according to how many cards they deal with, it is all very fair. Last year my group, the 18th Ipswich, raised about �850.

“For two and a half weeks we are busy every evening sorting the cards and getting them ready to be delivered,” Mrs Bloomfield added.

People wishing to have cards delivered should wrap them in a plastic bag with the right money - 15p a card - and leave them at a collection centre.

The scouts collect them from every collection point every day from next week.

Mrs Bloomfield said the scouts rely on the honesty of those leaving cards. “It's a matter of trust - we find people are very good at leaving the right money,” she said.

Collection points.

114 Felixstowe Rd

115 Ashcroft Road

18 Fairfield Road

182 Britannia Road

13 Camden Road

53 Ramsgate Drive

19 Arundel Way

1st Martlesham Scout Hut - The Drift, Valiant Rd

269 Cavendish Street

2nd Stop Charity Shop, Nr Tesco

39 Humber Doucy Lane

43 Roundwood Road

4th Ipswich Scout HQ, Hogarth Road,

6 Woodrush Road

75 Dumbarton Road

Adams Wilkinson & Co. 151, Felixstowe Road.

Age Concern, 41a Lower Brook Street

Asda, Goddard Rd

Asda, Stoke Park

Balfour News, Dales Road

Barham Parish Church

Belvedere Florist, 291 Woodbridge Rd

Black Tiles post office, Martlesham.

Bluebird lodge, Ravenswood

British Heart Foundation, Carr Street

Cards for Good Causes, Tourist Inf. Centre

Church's, Dial Lane

Claydon Scout & Guide HQ, Kirby Rise, Barham

Cockram's Newsagents - Felixstowe Road

Co-op - Hawthorne Drive

Co-op Rosehill Centre - Felixstowe Road

CO-OP Surbiton Road

CO-OP Ulster Ave.

Craft Ability, ST Lawrence St. (formally BCM)

Crafty Coffee Shop, Tomline Rd

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Ravenswood

Dominos Pizza, Corner of Dobbs Lane

Duncan's Butchers, Martlesham.

East Anglian Air Ambulance, Orwell Place

Felixstowe Rd Launderette

Foxhall News - Wellesley Road

Fresh Fills Bakery, Claydon

Gainsborough Sports Centre.

George Debman Butchers - Cliff Lane

Gt Blakenham Parish Church

House Of Hair, Edmonton Road

Janine's Hair Fashions, 12 Selkirk Rd

Julie Dawn, Nacton Rd

Kay's fruit and veg shop, 368 Nacton Road.

Kay's fruit and veg shop, Meredith Rd

Kesgrave Butchers, Penzance Road

Kesgrave Library, Kays Close

Krop & Co Beech Road

Melmerby House, Gipping Road, Gt Blakenham

Morrisons, Sproughton Road

Oncology dept. at the Ipswich Hospital

One Stop, Bixley Farm

Orwell Vets, Hartree Way

Oxfam Charity Shop 53 Buttermarket.

Pathology dept. at the Ipswich Hospital

Penalty Two, Chantry Estate

Richardsons Hardware, Garrick Way

Scotts Hardware, Ellenbrook Rd

Scotts Hardware, Hawthorn Drive

Scout Headquarters - Newton Road - Monday & Thursday Nights only

Sophisticuts Hair Salon, 321 Woodbridge Rd.

Spar, Freehold Rd

Foxhall Stores, Henslow Rd

Northgate Sports Centre

One-Stop, Bixley Farm

Firepower, Foxhall Road

Nacton Road fish shop

Broke Hall News, Penshurst Road

Martins Bakery, Woodbridge Rd East

Jonathan Waters Estate Agents, Foxhall Rd

Pharmacy Ipswich Hospital

Spurdens Newsagent

St Helens News - St. Helens Street

Suffolk College Students Union

Tesco Express, Duke Street

Tesco Express, St Matthews

The Beacon, Beaconsfield Road

The Crown Public House, Claydon

The Drop in Centre, Dial Lane

Tourist Information Centre, Buttermarket

United News, South Wards, Ipswich Hospital.

WH Smiths at the Ipswich railway station.

Whitton Sports Centre,