Holidaymakers writing postcards to elderly care home residents

POSTCARDS from around the world have been arriving at a Teesside care home after staff signed up to a campaign on Facebook.

Residents at Mandale House Care Home, on Acklam Road, Thornaby, have received postcards from Seattle, USA, and Barbados, in the Caribbean, to name a few.

The cards began arriving after staff member Donna Clayton joined Facebook group “Postcards of Kindness” and got the home listed for holiday-goers to write to.

The aim of the group: “To combat loneliness and isolation across the country and remind our residents that there’s always somebody thinking of them – regardless of where in the world the postcards have come from.”

Donna said: “We have been receiving postcards from all over the world for a number of weeks and the residents are thoroughly enjoying everyone’s notes.”

The postcard from Barbados was from a holidaymaker called Eileen, who wrote to residents about the monkeys in the trees and the golden beaches.

The card from Seattle was sent from one of the city’s famous farmers markets by Kara, who was on holiday in the US.

Postcards have not only been coming from overseas, however, as many have arrived from within the UK, including London, Stockport, Oxford, West Sussex, Bournemouth, Falmouth and Wales.

One card was from a child called Arabella, who told residents she liked to go swimming and to the park.

Donna said: “We also received a postcard from a student who was nervous about starting college and was asking for any advice. She left her address and the residents were so excited about responding.”

Resident Brenda Turner wrote back to the student: “I never went to college but don’t be nervous. It’s a wonderful opportunity and I’m sure you’re going to have a great time.”

Louise Clements, home manager at Mandale House Care Home, said: “It’s so lovely that people across the UK and travelling abroad are thinking of our residents and writing to them.

“Every time a new postcard arrives the residents get excited about reading it and finding out where in the world it has come from.

“We’ve been adding the postcards to a display with a world map to indicate where they’ve come from and we’re excited to keep filling it as new postcards arrive.

“Anyone who would like to write to our residents can either join the Postcards of Kindness Facebook group and find out details in the pinned document or send them to Mandale House Care Home, 136 Acklam Road, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7JR.”