To take action for Loneliness Week 2024, home care provider, Bluebird Care Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar, has partnered with a Billericay Primary School on a letter writing project for people in the community.
St Peter’s Primary School encouraged its pupils to create pictures and handwritten letters to be delivered to residents across Essex who are supported by the care team at Bluebird Care Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar.
Approximately three million people in the UK say they experience loneliness on a regular basis, and this number only increases when accounting for elderly people or those that live alone.
Alongside supporting the health and physical wellbeing of many people across the community, as a home care provider, Bluebird Care Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar also provide valuable social interaction and companionship for the people they care for.
They know first-hand how meaningful and important connection can be for those they support, which is why they have partnered with St Peter’s School for this heartwarming project.
The children thoroughly enjoyed writing personal letters to local residents and creating fun artwork for them to enjoy. The project was a wonderful opportunity for pupils to reflect on the value of friendship and kindness, connecting people from the community from age eight to one hundred and four!
The pupils each gave their pen pal some insights into their favourite subjects, with ten-year-old Amber telling local resident Margaret how much she enjoys maths as “every lesson has a new challenge” for her. Many were curious about the lives of their pen pals, with nine-year-old Janis asking Peggy what she enjoys doing on the weekend, and eight-year-old George asking Marion what her favourite lessons were when she was his age.
Claire, a Senior Care Expert at Bluebird Care Brent Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar, had a busy and gratifying day delivering the letters and drawings, which were warmly received by the people Bluebird Care support.
Recipients enjoyed writing their own letters back to the children, telling them about themselves and thanking them for their creations, with many since becoming regular pen pals.
After St Peter’s pupil Ellie shared her plans to visit the zoo and see some penguins, Daphne responded in her letter saying penguins were interesting birds and “very good swimmers!”.
Following the success of this new project, Bluebird Care Brent Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar and St Peter’s School look forward to partnering on more rewarding letter writing again in the future.
Mrs Levi, Teacher at St Peters School, said:
“Our pupils have loved being involved in this project and it has been so special for them to see the positive impact it has had on the lives of people in our community. The joy that has come out of these drawings and letters has been truly moving for everyone involved.”
Joanna Curd, Office Manager at Bluebird Care Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar, said:
“It was lovely to see the children get involved and write letters to local people for Loneliness Week. It really put a smile on everyone’s faces and many have now become good pen pals, which has made a fantastic, positive impact on them all. We at Bluebird Care Brent Brentwood, Billericay and Ongar are committed to ensuring that, alongside providing excellent care, we do all we can to make our community a healthier and happier place for everyone.”
