A grieving girl with a touching wish to send letters to her late grandparents came up with the idea of 'post boxes to heaven' - and now they're being installed in crematoriums across the UK. Nine-year-old Matilda Handy suggested the heartwarming idea to her mum while looking for a way to express her grief.
Matilda's mum Leanne, 45, approached Gedling Crematorium, in Lambley, Nottingham, where she works, and an old post box was painted white just before Christmas. After more than 100 letters were posted in it, the touching concept is being replicated at 36 other sites across the country.
Matilda first thought of her idea when her post office worker grandmother Pat died in 2017 before she also sadly lost her grandad Keith in November last year.
Leanne hopes her daughter's heartfelt creation can help ease the suffering grief causes and be of comfort on anniversaries and holidays.
Leanne, from Arnold, Nottingham, said: "My mum and dad are in heaven and so we're sending them letters in heaven.
"My mum passed away in 2017 and since then Matilda has always said she wishes we could send cards and letters to her mama in heaven.
"My mum worked in a post office for 25 years in our local community and it just seemed fitting for her.
"Matilda was so used to being around postboxes and letters and always wanted to send mama one.
"We wanted to unveil it at Christmas. We wanted to make sure it was the right time.
"A lot of people miss sending cards at Christmas time and that's an important occasion for people in the community.
"I had a lady who said she really struggled as she couldn't send her mum a Christmas card. The postbox had a big impact on her.
"It's used every single day, whether its someone old or young.
"People find real comfort in sending something, whether it's a child drawing a picture or an older person sending something to their loved ones. The art of writing something helps with the process."
Matilda's maternal grandmother Pat Morris died in 2017 while her paternal grandad Keith Handy passed away in November 2022, shortly before the box was opened.
The schoolgirl said the postbox also helped her with the loss of her grandad and hopes it can aid others dealing with grief.
She said: "We're doing these to be used by people when they walk past.
"It's been hard because my grandad passed away in November 2022 so it definitely did help me.
"It's just a very nice way to express my feelings and send a letter to them and to say how much I love them."
Matilda was the first to use the postbox and sent a letter containing a moving poem which read: "If heaven had a phone, Then I'd give you a ring. Just hear your voice and tell you, How my day has been.
"But it doesn't have a phone, To make missing you better, So instead I write my feelings down. And send them in a letter.
"I know that you'll be watching, As I write down every word, And I'll feel it when you reply, The unwritten and unheard."
The Westerleigh group, which own the crematorium, is now introducing the boxes to all of its 36 UK sites - as well as three new ones due to open later this year.
Mum Leanne, who works at Gedling Crematorium, added: "There's going to be around 40 Westerleigh sites in England, Scotland and Wales that will have them.
"We can walk through our local town and people will stop us and say how beautiful it is. Matilda's teacher told everyone how amazing it is.
"We're certainly proud of her, it's helped her. If it can help her it can help a lot of other people.
"To think this little idea, to actually be in 36 crematoriums across the country and helping thousands of families, we just never even imagined it."
Matthew Brook, head of memorialisation at Westerleigh Group, said: "Matilda's postbox has touched hearts of so many bereaved people across the country.
"Priding ourselves on serving our communities with exceptional care, we are delighted to be installing similar postboxes across all Westerleigh Group crematoria and helping many others who are grieving the loss of their loved one in a similar way.
"We look forward to welcoming more people to our beautiful crematoria grounds and finding comfort in placing their letters to loved ones in a post box."
Do you have a heartwarming story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
