Kindness Postcards From Local Students Delight Residents At Lowestoft Care Home
Residents at a Lowestoft care home have been left delighted after receiving a flurry of kindness postcards from local students during the third lockdown.
Pupils from East Coast College, a well-established further education college based in Lowestoft, created and sent the postcards, which included drawings, motivational quotes and heartfelt messages, to spread smiles at Wellbeing Care’s The Dell Care Home during isolation.
Amongst the 30 handmade postcards were messages of reassurance, encouragement and appreciation, as well as wishes of sunshine and happiness for all.
The students, aged 16-18, came up with the idea as part of a community action project designed to spread cheer and kindness at an otherwise difficult time. Having taken part in work experience at the care home before the pandemic and enjoyed bonding with the residents, the students chose The Dell to receive the postcards as a way of keeping in contact and showing residents how much they are cared for.
Discussing the project, Carrie Doddington, a tutor at East Coast College, said: “The last 12 months have been difficult for everybody, but especially so for care home residents who have been unable to see their family for long periods. Our students wanted to do whatever they could to spread some smiles, so they came up with the postcard project, which we hope will help keep spirits high at The Dell.”
Pupil Chloe Peters (aged 16), who came up with the idea, said: “The residents at The Dell are very special to us. We’ve been lucky enough to spend time with them in the past and they were always so welcoming and friendly; smiling, singing and offering to tell us stories about their lives. Although we can’t visit at the moment, we wanted them to know that they’re in our thoughts and we hope that by receiving one of our postcards, they’ll know how loved and appreciated they are”.
Daniella Penedo, Assistant Manager of the Wellbeing Care Day Centre, said: “For the staff and pupils at East Coast College to think of us as recipients for their kindness postcards is wonderful. The residents have been blown away by the lovely gesture, and to know that someone has taken the time out of their day to send loving thoughts, has made them feel very special.
We’re very grateful to East Coast College, as well as other members of the public, who’ve helped ensure our residents feel connected to the local community at this time of isolation.”
Following the success of the postcards, students at East Coast College are now working on their next project, which will see them create a ‘Happy Memories’ jigsaw puzzle for residents to enjoy.
