Library starts Kindness Post Box

The aim of the post box is that children in the school write a generic letter or postcard that would be suitable for any elderly person in the local council area to receive through the Libraries NI Homecall service.

The library is following the example of Enniskillen lady Nuala O’Toole who started up a Kindness Post Box in the Fermanagh area after she heard stories of elderly people in the area who were suffering with isolation and loneliness.

With the pandemic, this isolation has become even starker so the seed was planted and an idea budded.

She put a post box in the local supermarket and asked locals to write a generic letter or postcard that would be suitable for any elderly person to receive and it was a resounding success.

In particular, the elderly loved receiving correspondence from children - drawings, funny stories, even just what they did at the weekend and descriptions of their pets.

Dromore Branch Library Manager, Esther Morrison, approached the principal of Dromore Central Primary School Mrs Allen, with the idea of asking pupils to take part in the initiative and help to fill the post box with letters.

Esther spoke of the initiative: “In the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough council area there are over 160 library customers who receive book deliveries every four weeks through our Homecall service due to being housebound and unable to get to their local library.

“We thought it would be a lovely idea to also include a letter or postcard from a primary school aged child and were delighted when Mrs Allen was very enthusiastic about the plans and keen to get the pupils involved.

“The beautifully decorated post box will remain in the entrance hall of Dromore Central Primary School with our first ever collection taking place on Friday, February 4 for the letters to be included in February’s Homecall deliveries.

“We are very much looking forward to hearing what our customers think of the letters. “