A Kindness Postbox initiative first started in Co Fermanagh has made it all the way to Australia this year.
Nuala O’Toole’s idea of matching schoolchildren with care home residents first came to fruition in 2021, with the kids sending messages of hope to those isolating during the pandemic.
With the idea spreading to several areas of Northern Ireland this year, Nuala says the initiative was responsible for the sending of more than 20,000 letters to home residents in 2022.
READ MORE: ‘Lodge of Love’ event to bring back memories for Enniskillen folk in aid of charity
The initiative has now been nominated for the 2022 Creative Lives Awards, a UK wide prize recognising the contribution of voluntary and community-led creativity groups.
With some across the Irish Sea taking notice and setting up Kindness Postboxes in the rest of the UK, Nuala told Belfast Live she was asked to help get the idea off the ground in the New South Wales area Down Under this year as well.
“It was completely unexpected, myself and Wendy manage it here in Fermanagh and for anyone that wants to set one up we have our own wee template here,” Nuala said.
“We send them everything for them to help get started and then they send us back how many letters they have sent and residents they have reached.
“We had set up a website for people to get in contact with us, and a lady from Australia saw it and got in contact.
“It has since been set up in Coogara, New South Wales. I still can’t get past the idea that it was just something we started here from scratch.”
“Because people have taken it on board in their own area, they have taken it on to suit their own needs.
“In one area they use it as a community introduction for refugees, so people put wee letters in just to say welcome to the community and stuff like that.”
Despite the growth of the postbox initiative, Nuala added the most important thing was those moments where people open up their letter for the first time.
“The art of letter writing is dying, so it’s great for the kids to be able to sit down and write a wee letter and send it away.
“The teachers are saying that it’s helping them with their vocabulary and their English class, as well as thinking about older people as well.
“In the last twelve months we have delivered 20,256 letters and our plan is as long as the demand is there we’re going to keep doing it.
“It’s obviously making a wee bit of a difference to somebody. And if you can make one difference to one person for one minute in one day, that’s all you need.”
READ NEXT:
Enniskillen chef reveals details of new restaurant as he picks up prestigious NI award
NI Property: Ultra-modern Fivemiletown home with 4.5 acres on the market
Co Tyrone keyless car thieves make off with children's Christmas presents
Seven walks around Co Fermanagh to do between Christmas and New Year
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. T o sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
