2020 has been a year of isolation for many — but we have all found many new ways to connect with our friends and family. Sending Postcards of Kindness can help those in care homes, hospices, hospitals and other care settings feel more connected to the world. It can also bring a little joy to those who may not see their family or friends this festive season.
What to Do
Get a piece of paper or card, cut it in half so you have a post card size and shape.
On one side of the paper or card draw a picture of something really exciting that has happened to you this year. This could be something fun you did during lockdown, at school or with your family or friends. If you can’t think of anything or it would be too hard to draw you could also draw a picture of something you really like, for example flowers, a campsite, a theatre etc. Or write a message in colourful bubble writing.
Now turn over your sheet so you can write your post card. It’s recommended that you write as if you were writing to someone you know. You should address your letter ‘Dear Friend’ or ‘Dear Residents’. This way more than one person can benefit from your message and your stories.
Positive Stories
Let the receiver know how your experiences of 2020 have been, share some positive stories for example:
- A new thing that you have learnt this year
- A new friend you have made
- How you have helped your community this year
- What you and your Woodcraft Folk group class, or another group have been up to for fun this year
- What you and your groups have been doing to support others this year
- The best games you have played this year
- The best dinner or sweet treat you have learnt to cook or helped cook
Put your postcard in an envelope (this means you have more space to write on the card and also keeps your card safe from the rain, snow and any other damage).
Sending your postcard
Use the Facebook group Postcards of Kindness to find the address of a care home, hospice or other care setting who would like to be written to and find their address. You may choose one that is close to your local area or one that is a bit further away. Put the address on your envelope and put into the post. If you would like to receive a letter back then put your return address in the envelope too.
This will make someone’s day and their festive period a bit more special and cheerful.
Take it Further
Amnesty International are supporting this campaign after they released a paper on the UK Government’s failure to protect older people in care homes in England during the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the things Amnesty found was the isolation many residents in care homes are feeling. So they linked up with Postcards of Kindness to help those in care homes feel less isolated and have a bit more contact with the outside world.
If you send a postcard and want to share it wider on social media use the tag #PostcardsOfKindness.
It’s great to bring people joy at all times of the year and to span the world with friendship, if you felt positive writing to someone else about yourself and your experiences why not make a Span the World with Friendship Postcard to send to someone you know or someone from another Woodcraft Folk group.
