Welsh Christmas Card appeal get support from Singapore
A Christmas card appeal organised by a charity based in Aberdare seems to be catching the public’s imagination, posts on social media about the appeal have already been shared more than 700 times, reaching over 120,000 people including someone in Singapore!
The appeal is being organised by Age Connects Morgannwg, an older person’s charity that works across Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and RCT. The charity is asking people to send in Christmas cards so they can pass on to people living in residential care. The benefits of receiving cards are well known, Dr Lynda Shaw said, “I firmly believe that receiving cards increases self-esteem, helps to stave off feelings of loneliness and isolation and even to ward off the early stages of depression.”
Volunteer Manager Helen Davies explains. “As a charity we provide ongoing support to people living in residential care and have become aware that not everyone receives regular visitors, a situation that can be particularly difficult at Christmas. So, we are hoping that sending cards with festive messages to residents will help to spread some extra joy this year and help alleviate feelings of loneliness.”
The charity first posted about the appeal on Facebook to ask their 2,000 followers for help. However, the message was shared by hundreds of users and soon reached more people than Age Connects Morgannwg could ever have imagined. Amongst the 120,000 people who have already seen the posts include those living in Australia and Canada, with one card arriving from Singapore. The charity has received dozens of offers of help including schools and workplaces, who are now busy writing cards for the appeal.
Rhodri Poacher from Talbot Green is a volunteer with Age Connects Morgannwg and first suggested the appeal. “I have been touched by the support for the card appeal and am so grateful that people are engaging and making this idea a reality. I wanted to let people living in residential care know that there is someone out there who cares and is thinking of them. Thanks to the generosity being shown through this appeal, so many people will get to feel that this is Christmas when they receive one of our cards.”
Getting involved in the appeal is easy. Age Connects Morgannwg is asking people to buy a card, write a festive message inside and send or take their card to their head office in Aberdare by December 12. The special post box at their Cynon Linc HQ has already been emptied twice, but with care homes across South Wales on the list for cards, there is plenty of demand to meet.
Melanie is the manager of a care home situated in Cynon Valley and gave her thoughts on the appeal. “This is such a beautiful thing to do at Christmas, I know our residents will cherish a card given to them, other than my staff sending them a card they may not receive one. We would also like to be involved in sending cards and will help our residents reach out to other residents this Christmas.”
To get involved send your cards to: Christmas Card Appeal, Cynon Linc. Seymour Street, Aberdare CF44 7BD.