Pen Pal Visits Residents for the First Time Despite Writing Letters for More than Two Years

A pen pal who wrote and received letters from residents at a Penarth based care home finally got to put faces to names when she visited the home for the first time.

Elaine Davies contacted staff at MHA Morel Court and wanted to keep residents entertained during the pandemic.

Over the course of two years Elaine and the residents wrote letters and postcards to one another.

The exchanges are usually monthly, and the home kept all the correspondence since the start and showed it to Elaine on the day.

June Mansell, community coordinator said:
“It was the first time Elaine visited the home since being a pen pal for the residents.

“Elaine contacted me just over two years ago and wanted to befriend residents through letters.

“The residents were very happy to see her and spent a lot of time just talking or listening to her.

“On the day of her visit she went around the home asking residents their names and would then speak to them based on what they spoke about in the letters.

“She was very impressed when we showed her all the correspondence and said it was a lovely surprise.

“Hopefully now things are improving we will try and organise another visit for her, and I am sure it will be just as nice as this one.”