ROYAL Mail’s annual Christmas jobs bonus in Swindon has been launched, with almost 800 temporary jobs promised for the town.

The 760 positions will be gradually phased into the organisation’s operations, with the first vacancies already live online, ready for a start date towards the end of November.

Those filling the roles will be employed and paid on a shift basis through December to Christmas, when demand will drop off.

Royal Mail said they would offer pay between £6.50 and £10.21 depending on age and shifts.

The leap in employees required in Swindon alone will be needed to meet the sharp rise in letters and parcels at this time.

Although the positions are temporary, they present opportunities for both Royal Mail and the individual to assess one another ahead of any future recruitment drives for permanent staff.

Mel Peirson, plant manager at Swindon mail centre, said: “We do this every year, to increase the numbers in the mail centre at Dorcan and to fill the parcel centre we are opening in Blagrove for the seasonal rise.

“If there’s recruitment being planned, this is a fantastic opportunity for people to look at Royal Mail and see what Royal Mail is about, as well as an opportunity for the business to look at them.”

The temporary parcel centre is currently being furnished with the correct equipment needed for the Christmas season at unit two of Clearwater Business Park.

The boost in staff is needed not only for the increased volume of post, but also for the checking of deliveries, which are regularly missing post codes needed for electronic sorting.

“The vacancies are already started going online now and we have had a brilliant response so far,” said Mel.

“We have people that come back year after year and we do always get a really good response.”

The mail and parcel centres in Swindon will be responsible for post in and out of the Swindon, Oxford and Reading post codes.

Royal Mail operations director, Geoff Braden, said: “Christmas is the busiest time of the year for Royal Mail and we plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service to our customers.

“Every Christmas, we make a substantial financial commitment in additional resources to handle the festive mailbag, including the recruitment of thousands of temporary workers.”