AN INNOVATIVE kindness project, which started in Fermanagh and has grown across the North and far beyond, has been shortlisted for a major award.
The Kindness Postbox was created by local woman Nuala O’Toole to help keep elderly residents connected during the Covid lockdowns and beyond, and to give them “something to smile about.”
Started in April 2021 with just one child-sized postbox at a local shop, with the aim of connecting children and others in the community with care home residents through cards, letters and drawings, word quickly spread and schools and other organisations soon began asking to get involved.
“Our project is a simple but effective way to establish and maintain a connection between young and old in the community,” said Nuala.
“A volunteer delivers and collects the postboxes, records the mail and delivers the mail to care homes.
“To date, our unfunded volunteer-led group has delivered 15,054 items of mail, reaching some 12,000 residents.”
The postboxes can now be found all over Fermanagh, as well as right across the North and further afield, with the idea and ethos of the project capturing the imaginations of many.
While the lockdowns may now be over, the popularity of the Kindness Postbox has endured, and the project just keeps growing and growing.
Indeed, the Kindness Postbox has 29 partnerships in Northern Ireland, one in Britain, and one even as far away as Australia.
The Kindness Postbox has now been shortlisted by the judges
at the Creative Lives Awards 2022.
A total of 37 projects across the UK and Ireland have been nominated, with judging panels to select a winner from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The public will also have the chance to select the People’s Choice Award, and Fermanagh people are being urged to cast their vote.
Voting in the People’s Choice Award is open until January 27th. To vote visit www.creative-lives.org/2022-shortlist
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Leeds on Tuesday March 7th, as part of the Leeds 2023 Year of Culture celebrations.
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