Words by Smiley Team
It costs nothing to be kind, as the children and care home residents who have been exchanging joy via a very simple letter writing project know too well.
Lucy Murray, from Milton Keynes, set up "The Cheerful Little Letter Project" during the pandemic to spread a little cheer to those who needed it. The initiative works by matching care home residents with children and families, so that they could send some happy post, spreading cheer and tackling loneliness and social isolation.
“I know how much joy letters and drawings from children can bring to people; and everyone loves receiving a little surprise in the post," she said. "Extending kindness to others not only helps those who need it, but is also such a great way to lift your own mood and focus on something positive.
“The children in the group have sent cheerly letters to over 1,500 care home residents and have been spreading smiles far and wide across the UK! The children involved have loved taking part and the care homes have told us how much happiness the letters bring the residents too."
(Read about the kid’s postcards bringing smiles to care homes)
Lucy said care home staff have told her that the residents absolutely love receiving their letters – "One staff member said that delivering the letters was the best part of their day!"
“The project has been especially successful where the resident has been able to reply and a lovely pen friendship has started to form, we have also seen some wonderful replies from the residents including artwork they have made," she said.
“The responses from the families who have received replies have been so lovely too, and it's so nice to see how excited the children have been to hear back. When we received our first reply it made me so emotional, I cried!”
A new project is launching around Easter time and Lucy has also received a Points of Light award from the government for her initiative, which she dedicated to the children and families who put so much love and care into their letters.
(Read more about the children bringing smiles to the elderly in this care home)
One parent explained how The Cheerful Little Letter Project has made a difference.
“My daughter Darcie was first matched with a room at a care home and she had no idea who she would be writing to," said Lynn Allen. "We later found out the resident was called Patricia and she became a big part of our lives even though we had never met her, and we continued to write to her until she sadly passed away.
“At Christmas, we were again part of the project and whilst discussing Patricia, Darcie decided she would like to send a decoration in Patricia’s memory which then evolved into her wanting to create a craft box for all the residents to enjoy and to make decorations so they too could remember their friend.
“I am so immensely proud of Darcie for her thoughtfulness throughout this whole project but especially for taking the sad news of Patricia (who she was so fond of) and turning it into a positive and thoughtful memory.
“This project has given us as a family so much pleasure, drawing a picture or writing a letter knowing that it will bring a little bit of joy to Patricia and the others was so very fulfilling.”
WRITE A LETTER: You can keep up to date with The Cheerful Little Letter project via their Facebook group and learn how to get involved.
VOLUNTEER: Support Friends of the Elderly who aim to give older people the opportunity to live fulfilled lives.
DONATE: Friends of Care Homes is a group of volunteers offering residents of care homes friendship. Get involved.
