Words by Cheyanne Bryan
Today is International Friendship Day, a day that celebrates relationships, promotes understanding, and encourages empathy between communities to create a more compassionate world.
Whether you prefer to meet your friends IRL or in the Metaverse, unlikely bonds are one of the joys of life. One way friendship can be fostered is through writing letters. Not only does it allow us to be thoughtful with what we write due to the limited capacity, letters can bridge the physical distance and maintain a sense of closeness. To honour this day, here are 4 letter writing projects that align with these values.
Now a scheme run by the Hardman Trust, Prisoners’ Penfriends makes it possible for volunteers to write to prisoners safely, building friendships and non judgemental connections with the outside world. They scheme is said to help the wellbeing of approximately 200 prisoners in the UK and process approximately 3,700 letters a year. Each letter is checked by staff to ensure the relationships remain appropriate and volunteers receive training before becoming a penfriend.
Founded in 2009 and founded in the US, Bent Bars is a letter-writing project that supports LGBTQ+ prisoners in Britain and Northern Ireland, including those in prisons, secure mental health units, and immigration detention. The project aims to strengthen connections and solidarity between LGBTQ+ communities inside and outside prison walls. Due to LGBTQ+ individuals historically facing policing and criminalization, with the criminal justice system targeting queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people. Bent Bars provides pen-pal matches, resources, mutual support, and raises awareness about the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals behind bars.
The Letter Project is a female-led and faith-based nonprofit that writes handwritten letters to girls around the world who are in need of extra love and support. With 7 in 10 girls reported to believe they are not good enough, The Letter Project is on a mission to change their minds.
During the first lockdown, a local care home in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire initiated a letter-writing project to combat the isolation and loneliness experienced by residents unable to meet their loved ones. Give…A Few Words project spearheaded by Sharron Wilkinson, received support from organisations like One Community, the Net Foundation, FOCAL, and Locala, along with numerous volunteers. The initiative gained widespread attention and garnered a remarkable response, highlighting the power of sharing words and letters to alleviate feelings of isolation during challenging times.
Check out our previous article that features Give… A Few Words here.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Friendship Project for Children. This charity is based in Warwickshire and matches children in need with volunteers which can offer fun and friendship. Find out more.
The Friendship Foundation. This nonprofit supports parents and families who have children and young adults with special needs by providing a safe, accepting and inclusive environment where they can enjoy sports, art, music and many other social programs with their peers. Find out more here.
Seven Friends Foundation. This foundation provides small grants to support underserved and local communities to promote infrastructure, sustainability and collaboration. Support them here.
