‘Miss you, Bestie!’

With our help, two best friends from primary school who are missing each other’s company during the lockdown are writing to one another to keep in touch.

Seven-year-old Tyler Swetman and six-year-old Pippa Ellis from Coton Green Primary School have been putting pen to paper to stay connected. Tyler came up with the idea and said in his first letter: ‘I hope you are having a great time because I am and you should be too, I hope. Wishing you a great day. Lots of love.’

Tyler’s mum Becca Swift told the Tamworth Herald: ‘Basically Tyler got a little upset saying he was missing his friends and being able to go to school. I said: “Well, why don’t you draw them a picture or write something, so that when you all go back, you can show it to them” and then he actually said: “I want to send a letter.”

‘I got in contact with the parents as I know them through school and asked for their address and he wrote his letter and we had a little walk round to the post box and to get some stamps and he posted it. He didn’t actually let me know what he had wrote! But Pippa’s mum took a picture and sent it to me. He is so lovely. It is something that kids don’t really do nowadays.

‘When we were younger, we used to have pen pals, but nobody really does that now. I did tell him his friends would write him one back and he was really excited. He is really close to some of his friends and I knew he would be missing them, but when he got upset it broke my heart.’

Pippa’s mum Gemma Ellis added: ‘She couldn’t believe the postman had brought her a letter. She felt really special. She is missing her friends and her cousin. It is quite hard for them. They will definitely have a big catch-up when all of this is over, maybe a hug when we are allowed to!’

Can’t Talk, Write

Children and young people have been busy putting pen to paper to help find comfort during the coronavirus pandemic. Our research has found that 46 per cent of children and young people across the UK believe a ‘writing-break’ can improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing. 

The Can’t Talk, Write toolkit, which was launched by Action for Children and The Prince’s Trust, in partnership with Royal Mail, helps children explore their feelings through the power of the pen.

Research shows that a third of children and young people aged 11-21 explore their thoughts and feelings by putting pen to paper or engaging in creative writing to help support their mental health. A total of 27 per cent write down their feelings on paper once a week or more and 31 per cent said they wrote for therapeutic benefits. These findings are backed up by our literature review using academic studies to show the positive mental health benefits of writing things down.

Carol Iddon, deputy chief executive at Action for Children, said: ‘At a time where we’re navigating a complex 24/7 world with constant stimulation from social media, the power of the pen could be a valuable tool for helping children to stay calm during these unprecedented times.’

For more information, visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk/cant-talk-write.