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Island post service resumes after jetty collapse

News imageNational Trust/ Dania S V A postman wearing an orange hi-viz vest empties a small red post box embedded in a brick wall. He has long hair in a ponytail and a long beard.National Trust/ Dania S V
Royal Mail deliveries and collections have resumed at Brownsea Island

A postal service to an island nature reserve has resumed after an 18-month gap following the reinstatement of a collapsed jetty.

Royal Mail deliveries to Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, came to a halt after the seabed beneath the National Trust (NT) jetty in Sandbanks washed away in 2024.

While rebuilding work got under way, the National Trust set up a PO Box service, with a member of staff collecting mail from the mainland.

Construction of the new jetty was completed in the summer, meaning Brownsea and its population of about 30 people are back on the delivery round.

News imagePA View of Brownsea Island and Poole Harbour from Purbeck in the southPA
Brownsea Island is the largest island in Poole Harbour and is home to red squirrels

Paddy Stennings, general manager for National Trust Brownsea Island, said: "In November 2024, our old jetty unfortunately collapsed after a sudden loss of sea bed around our mainland operating base on Sandbanks.

"This loss of seabed was likely caused by a culmination of recent winter storms, strong tides and natural processes within the harbour.

"Royal Mail continued initially to get mail across to us but, in the end, we opted for a PO Box, which was collected by a member of the NT team.

"Finally, in July 2026, we managed to partially re-open our Sandbanks route, following a large project to rebuild the quayside and jetty.

"This has allowed the daily post delivery and collection to resume.

"Huge thanks to our business support officer Janis who stepped in as a temporary postie for over 18 months, often cycling down to the harbour with all the residents' Amazon deliveries."

News imageNational Trust - Brownsea Island A red post box embedded in an old brick wall. To the right is a National Trust Brownsea Island plaque bearing the charity's oak leaf logo.National Trust - Brownsea Island
The post box on the island bears Queen Victoria's cypher

It is not known how long Royal Mail has delivered to Brownsea, but a post box on the island bears a the cypher of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901.

National Trust said the post box had been in constant use since at least 1962 when it opened the island.

With the jetty out of use, visitors could only reach the island from Poole Quay.

National Trust began working on plans for a new departure point and improved visitor facilities at Sandbanks long before the collapse of the old 30-year-old structure.

A limited boat service for staff and volunteers - and the postman - has restarted and the jetty is due to re-open for visitors in 2027.

News imageNational Trust/ Dania Schmitz-Vaughan A new jetty and slipway viewed from the waterNational Trust/ Dania Schmitz-Vaughan
The new Sandbanks jetty will open to visitors in the 2027 season
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