At Tendring Pen Pals, we believe that a simple letter can brighten someone’s day. Pen Pals To A Senior is our heartfelt initiative designed to connect caring individuals with older members of the community, especially those experiencing loneliness or isolation.
By becoming a pen pal, you have the chance to make a real difference in someone’s life. Share stories, hobbies, and experiences, and discover the joy of building a unique friendship, one letter at a time.
We kindly ask for your patience, as this special project can sometimes take a little longer. Factors like appointments or memory challenges may occasionally delay responses - something we all experience from time to time.
Rest assured, we stay closely connected with everyone involved, regularly checking on their wellbeing and offering gentle reminders to keep the correspondence flowing. Your understanding and compassion make a world of difference.
Two Unlikely Friends – The ‘Cant’ Story
On 19th April 2020, our founder Edward Bell was featured in a 6pm BBC One News segment about an Emergency Food Bank he had set up to support his community during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The story included 83-year-old Ron Cant from Holland-on-Sea, Essex, who had been isolated for three weeks and was receiving a food parcel. During his interview with Michael Buchanan, Ron shared, “I’m bored to be honest with you. I like to keep occupied. I’ve rigged myself up a shoot with pellet guns and I’ve put a box outside in the garden and have a practice. I’ve been in the army.”
Allan Cant, watching from Switzerland and sharing both a surname and a military interest with Ron, decided to reach out. He contacted Edward via LinkedIn with the message, “I would like to write and maybe cheer him up! Can you help?”
Allan’s letter arrived on 23rd April and was promptly hand-delivered to Ron. Edward recalls, “This was the very first letter we received. The sentiment was so touching that I quickly established Tendring Pen Pals in response. We haven’t looked back since, and I have a lot to thank Allan for.”
Ron and Allan formed an immediate connection, using technology, phone calls, postcards, and letters to build a strong friendship based on shared interests.
Although Allan and Ron were scheduled to meet in person for the first time on 16th December 2021, as part of a BBC Morning Live documentary on Tendring Pen Pals, the national lockdown and flight restrictions prevented Allan from traveling to England. Instead, they had a Zoom meeting, which clearly demonstrated to viewers how close they had become.
The correspondence continued, and on 6th August 2022, Edward received a WhatsApp message from Allan. It was a selfie of him and Ron with the caption, “Guess where I am?” They were sitting together in Ron’s living room in Holland-on-Sea.
After 27 months, Allan had finally travelled the 670 miles from Geneva, Switzerland, to meet his pen pal and now close friend in person.
Before the internet, those in search of a pen pal would browse adverts in newspapers and magazines. People would post short profiles and then contact those who they shared interests with.