Meet the Team |
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Tony Buckingham Chairman
With over 30 years experience, Tony is recognised worldwide as a leading authority on first day and commemorative covers. He was the first winner of the prestigious Rowland Hill Award for his contribution to philately. Together with Cath, Tony founded and ran Benham (the UK’s largest cover publisher) until he sold the company in 1997. He edited Collect FDC for nearly 20 years and has served on the Philatelic Trade Society Council. He is a regular contributor to Stamp Magazine, Gibbons Stamp Monthly and other leading collectables publications. He has also written two murder stories (all he needs is a good editor!). Outside work, he enjoys cricket, jazz, cooking and wine. More Brian Austin Head of Covers & Buying
Brian deals with the older British First Day Covers at Buckingham Covers. He started in stamps in the summer of 1985 and has been with us since 2002, so he's been in the trade for 25 years. Brian deals with the selling of the older issues via our various magazines, specialist lists, eBay and your wants lists. He also deals with the buying and valuation side and is always available for any advice you require on an area of cover collecting. You may be thinking about starting to collect or there may be a cover you may be after or have even found. We can't show our entire stock but if there is something you are particularly after Brian may know where there is one! He is happily married with two smallish children (Ella and Ben) and lives in Folkestone. His interests away from covers include 'The' Arsenal, Children's Taxi Driver, his allotment (don't mention the slugs!) and Music (he's happiest spending his summer sitting in a field listening to a Zimbabwean guitar band!). 
Sue Knox Customer Service Team and Waiting ListsSue has been working here since June 2005 having spent many years in customer service. Sue is one of our Customer Service team, who looks after you. She processes your orders through the post and online, answers your phone calls and emails and puts your orders together. Sue also manages our waiting lists, and in between turns her hand to any other jobs that need doing. Outside work, Sue enjoys socialising, pub quizzes, shopping, swimming, and has a tortoise called Speedy!
Sarah Bush Customer Service TeamProfessional Member, the Institute of Customer Service 
Sarah is one of our Customer Service team, who looks after you. She processes your orders through the post and online, answers your phone calls and emails and puts your orders together. She joined Buckingham Covers after 8 years at Benham, during which time she spent 5 years in Customer Care and 18 months in Production. Sarah lives in Folkestone with her partner Ian (another ex-Benham employee) but there are no children (unless you count Ian!). Interests are varied - as diverse as pub quizzes, amateur dramatics, choral (and occasional karaoke) singing and family history. Sarah also enjoys the usual pursuits of reading, films (she's a big James Bond fan) and music and is happy either clubbing or listening to African drums in a field. She's also recently re-discovered Dr. Who and describes herself as a 'born-again fan'. Beth Williams-Brazier Customer Service TeamProfessional Member, the Institute of Customer Service 
Beth processes your orders through the post, via the website and takes your calls. She runs the 'Wish List' so if there is something that you are searching for let her know and she'll do her very best to find it for you. Beth also runs the magazine subscription service so if you want to sign up for every single magazine we do and a personal letter with a bit of office gossip and funny home life stories then do let her know. Beth lives in Folkestone with her husband, Dan, her beautiful son Rhys, who is 8 and their three goldfish, whose names change too often to remember! When Beth is not busy getting excited about selling rare and expensive first day covers, she works hard at her other full time jobs of Mum and Domestic Goddess. She likes to make pieces of art using textiles and mixed media and loves printing. When Beth gets any spare time, which is not often, she likes to scour the charity shops for bargains, read and sleep! Siobhán O'Brien Customer Service Team
Siobhán processes your orders through the website, post and takes your calls and enjoys looking after our customers. Siobhán is a local girl having spent almost all of her life in Folkestone apart from a year away in Brighton for University but then still managed to make it back to Kent where she completed her last two years. Siobhán is new to the world of First Day covers but is slowly becoming a huge fan; being fascinated by the beautiful artwork and being drawn towards covers about her favourite books and films. Siobhán loves animals and there has been a new addition to the family by the name of Juno, a ball of fluff who has been keeping her on her toes. Outside of work Siobhán loves spending time with her friends, watching films, reading, and most importantly shopping which has led to her having far too many dresses! Which some would say you can never have too many of. She also loves singing and has only done a few gigs so far but would love to pursue it further and one day be FAMOUS. Tracey Spratley Production Manager
Tracey is Production Manager for Buckingham Covers. She coordinates the production of all new covers, which means never being far away from a deadline! She really enjoys working with Tony and loves to see the covers develop from the ideas stage into finished products. Before joining Internet Stamps in 2001, she worked for Benham and prior to this was a pupil at the local girls grammar school. Tracey lives in Hythe with her husband Sean. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, shopping, rollerblading, socialising and shopping. Oh, did we mention, she likes shopping?
Dawn Caird Production AssistantDawn has been with Internet Stamps for over three years now, working with Tracey in production and thoroughly enjoys it. She was a Buckingham Covers outworker, sticking stamps on covers etc, for us for a few years and she joined the team in February 2007 after Tracey asked her very nicely. Previously she worked for an insurance broker for 20 years and decided she needed a change. Educated in Dubai and Kent (!), she lives on the Romney Marsh with her husband Mark and two sons. In her spare time Dawn likes to do her gardening, repairing all the damage done by her maniac dog, Monty, not to mention her two teenage sons.
Cath Buckingham Design Director
Cath Buckingham is one of the world’s leading cover designers and winner of 8 Royal Mail awards for cover design and 3 Fasson Awards for design and printing. Cath designs all Buckingham Covers, including the envelope, the postmarks and all our Cinderella stamps. Cath does all her own picture research, working with top artists to source the best illustrations for each cover. Outside work, Cath enjoys horse-riding, going to the gym and making delicious cakes (the first two counteract the last!). She has two noisy cats, sings in a choir and loves spending time with her family (Tony, Ellie and Tom). More Nikki Skinley Design Team Manager
Nikki Skinley is our Design Team Manager. She has been working for Buckingham Covers since 2002 and plays a key role in the everyday managing of the design team, putting together our magazines, especially Cover Lover and our Sale mags. She also designs many of our advertisements and readers' offers. Nikki enjoys designing some of our Smiler Sheets (one of which was our Paddington sheet) and covers. Previously, she worked for a publishing company in Maidstone called Pantek Arts. Nikki lives in Walderslade with husband, Ben, who were married in 2009. She has a dog called Ellie, a daughter called Jazmin who is in Primary school and is very much enjoying it and doing well. The newest addition to the family is Jazmin's guinea pig Marbles, he is grey and white hence the name. She loves fishing, riding, crafty things and spending time with her family and friends and enjoying life. Clair Palmer Designer
Clair studied a Fine Art Degree at Kent Institute of Art and Design in Canterbury graduating in 1999, moving straight into the design and print industry where she has remained. Clair has been involved in reprographics for some major magazines before becoming a designer/picture editor for Saga Holidays and then a researcher for a picture library based in Maidstone. Clair joined Buckingham Covers in October 2006. Her roles for the company include working on all our publications, reader offers and adverts. Clair has also designed covers, postmarks and sheets, including coin covers and last years' Queen Elizabeth Liner sheet. She is a keen painter and photographer, recently gaining an A* in GCSE Photography at college. Clair enjoys keeping fit by regularly attending the gym and playing squash. She also loves baking, supporting Spurs and going to see her favourite bands! Clair lives in River, near Dover with husband Andy, two cats Lily and Oscar and the latest addition to the family, baby Grace. 
Joanne Down DesignerJo is the newest member of the Design team. She studied Photography & Design at the Kent Institute of Art & Design in Canterbury, graduating in 1996. She has since worked in magazine publishing and graphic design before joining the Buckingham Covers design team earlier this year. Jo lives near Ashford with her husband Lee and dog Willow. She is a keen cyclist and last year cycled from Inverness to Glasgow, raising funds for The Dystonia Society. Outside of work Jo also enjoys music, both listening and performing. She plays violin and sings, occasionally in public!
 Gina Chantler Trade & Despatch Co-ordinatorProfessional Member, the Institute of Customer Service Gina started with Buckingham Covers in July 2000, having previously worked for Benham. She looks after all our wholesale accounts, manages our stock, puts together the daily invoice run and helps the production team. Gina has 2.4 children (James and Kirsty) and a husband, Gary. They have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year! (We have told her you get less for murder) When not doing household duties, she likes walking, dancing classes meeting with friends for nights in or out but, most of all, SHOPPING!
Vi Arnold DespatchVi works in the Post Room and is kept extremely busy all day, checking orders and dealing with specific postal requests. She previously worked for a book publishing company for 34 years until retirement as an invoice and order clerk plus postal dept duties. Vi is married with one son and grandson and for many years enjoyed Ballroom & Latin dancing with her husband. She enjoys working here as everyone gets on well together and it is a friendly company to work for.
Emma Whyte PA to the Chairman
Emma has worked for Tony and Cath for for 15 years, 11 of which have been at Buckingham Covers. She's worked in Dispatch, Sales, Customer Service and has been Clubs Manager and Production Manager. She can pretty much turn her hand to anything! At the moment she has her work cut out trying to keep control of and implement Tony's wonderful ideas. She copy-edits & compiles all the email newsletters and juggles a few other projects on the side. Outside work, Emma lives with her husband, their two little girls, Bethany and Holly, a rabbit (Easter) and two guinea pigs (Daisy and Poppy). She loves being a mum, and enjoys paper crafting, reading & writing when she has the time. Her biggest ambition is to have a book published one day. Emma is Tracey's big sister! Caspar de Roij Sales/eCommerce Project Manager
Caspar was born and (mostly) raised in Belgium, with a short stint in the USA. After completing his secondary education at a British School, he came to the UK to study at university, first in Edinburgh and then in York. He came to the wonderful world of first day covers via the rather unusual route of a Biology degree. Through his degree he was introduced to computer programming, and has become fascinated with it, and now takes any opportunity he can get to learn more about it. Caspar is currently responsible for all aspects of the company website, including keeping on top of the large volume of new issue, as well as supporting Peter in the IT department. When not glued to his computer screen at work (or at home!), he enjoys music (both listening and performing, as an avid violinist and guitar player), cycling, rugby, real ales and travelling, having recently travelled to Japan.
Peter Rawles IT Director
Peter grew up in the South East and, despite various forays into other parts of the country, notably University where, unfortunately, he found rowing to be more fun than study, then working for Dunlop as a trainee engineer, he found the allure of the Wealden woodlands too attractive and returned here after a 6 month trip abroad. He ‘does’ the IT and is currently the man to blame if something goes wrong on the computer side of things. Among other companies, he has worked for BAA where, hopefully, some of his software correctly informs passengers the times of their flights, and CMG, where he worked on projects for British Gas and the MoD. When he’s not replacing old bugs in the computer system with new and different ones, he enjoys playing golf and walking through those woods with his wife Janet, their three boys (now at an age when they don’t really want to come with him) and fellow ramblers. Janet Ewins Finance Director
Janet is Queen of our Books and keeps everyone in order (and we mean everyone). She has had the good (or bad) fortune to be involved with Tony Buckingham for much of her life. He taught her at primary school for 2 years (where Tony says she was a fantastic runner, netball player and star of the school play). She joined Benham after leaving school and stayed there for 19 years before rejoining Tony again in 2000 here at Buckingham Covers. Janet lives locally with her husband, Martin and has three boys, Jack, Charlie and Harry. She would love to have hobbies of her own but for now enjoys supporting her children with their football and other activities. Gina is her twin sister!
Buckingham Covers Limited, registered in England No. 03877048 is part of Internet Stamps Group Limited, registered in England No. 03497867. Registered office for both: Warren House, Shearway Rd, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4BF, UK. |
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