About Us
Our Story
Our story began in 2020 when a gentleman from Switzerland, Allan Cant, wrote the first pen pal letter to 83-year-old Ron Cant of Holland-on-Sea. You can read the full story here.
Following that initial letter, Tendring Pen Pals was launched in partnership with a Covid-19 Emergency Food Bank run by the charity Tendring Eldercare.
Our original mission was to alleviate the loneliness experienced by the elderly in the District of Tendring, North East Essex. What started as a small project has since grown into five initiatives that have gained both national and international attention, with letters exchanged across the globe and participants of all ages.
Allan Cant & Ron Cant
We are proud to have received The High Sheriff of Essex Certificate in April 2020, and our efforts were recognised by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales in 2021.
Our Founder
Tendring Pen Pals is managed by the Edward Bell Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting communities through various initiatives across England.
Our founder, Edward Bell, expressed his pride in the project: “I am immensely proud of what Tendring Pen Pals has achieved. What started as a modest effort has evolved into several impactful projects aimed at benefiting our communities.
Initially focused on offering companionship to the elderly who are isolated and lonely, we now also collaborate with primary schools to teach children the value of letter writing. These projects not only help reduce screen time but also foster new friendships and nurture compassion and empathy. They also provide an opportunity to enhance crucial writing skills, including handwriting, grammar, and punctuation.”
Edward’s life mission is to combat loneliness, and Tendring Pen Pals is a key part of that endeavor. From the moment you pick up a pen to the arrival of your letter, the process of becoming a pen pal is a deeply positive experience. It’s a meaningful way to show someone they are not alone and that someone is thinking of them.
Our Projects
In addition to our flagship project, Pen Pals To A Senior, we’ve launched several projects that you can explore throughout our website.
How To Get Involved
We have several projects for you to get involved with. They span from School To School, a project designed to work with primary schools across the UK and Internationally, enhancing children’s literacy skills and encouraging the next generation to write for enjoyment. And Pen Pal To A Senior, a scheme matching Pen Pal letters with lonely, isolated seniors.
Visit our Become A Pen Pal page.
“There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.”
William Butler Yeats an Irish poet who won the Nobel prize for Literature in 1923.
