Sometimes there’s just nothing better than the feeling off a written letter in your hands – and it’s one that has brought one of the people we support, Kerry, immense joy and happiness on her journey to find new friends.
With Kerry’s family living far away, Service Manager Terri had noticed that Kerry sometimes felt lonely when watching other people at Windsor Avenue have friends and family visiting, and sprung into action to make a difference. Following an idea at our Leadership Conference last year, Service Manager Terri thought it would be a great idea to see if there were any people across Consensus looking for a pen pal so that Kerry could meet new people. Putting out a call to other services across Consensus, the response was overwhelming.
Kerry quickly ended up with 4 pen-pals from far and wide, which have now blossomed into beautiful friendships. Over the past year Kerry has received pictures, cards and lovely (sometimes hand delivered!) letters, bringing her great joy when the postman visits in the morning, and has truly made a difference to Kerry’s quality of life. With Kerry being visually impaired, the feeling of holding a letter in her hands (instead of the typical text or emails!) always puts a smile on her face, and all her treasured letters have been worked into a scrap book of beautiful memories.
Fast forward to today, and Kerry’s pen pal journey has reached an exciting new chapter. With the support of her staff member Sam, Kerry took a taxi to finally meet one of her pen pals, Geraldine, from Bannigans in Corby. The two enjoyed a lovely coffee date with plenty of nattering, marking the beginning of what promises to be a lasting friendship – plans are already underway for their next get-together!
A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this happen, especially the team at Windsor Avenue, whose dedication allows Kerry to stay connected with her friends. Here’s to many more letters, friendships, and wonderful memories to come!
