Pen Pal Project

Pen Pal project connects some of those who access our Befriending service with children from Fordham Primary School.

The project started when Fordham got involved in our annual Christmas cards Dec 2022 and shared a desire to keep in touch and have pen pals.

Letters are exchanged termly, enabling the building of relationships. A window into what is going on in the world of young people that helps those receiving letters to feel connected and considered.

Once letters arrive from the children we receive lots of happy calls from those in the Befriending service who are thrilled and often quite emotional.

The children equally enjoy the correspondence, sharing their hopes, dreams and worries. One girl who was feeling nervous about moving up to Year 5 in September told us how her pen pal had really reassured her and given her the confidence she needed for the move. Another boy confided in his pen pal about the loss of his grandmother.

Fordham Primary have really embraced the project, recognising the benefits not just to the children’s writing but to their sense of citizenship.

It is so heartwarming to see these intergenerational friendships blossom.