Appeal for heartwarming letters to be written to cheer up elderly people spending Christmas alone in Milton Keynes

The centre is creating more than 100 festive packages filled with seasonal goodies to show lonely people they have not been forgotten.

And the most important item in each 'Thinking of You' package will be a letter from someone that cares.

This week intu is asking local people to write or type a chatty, caring letter to spread the festive cheer.

“We know that many more people will be spending Christmas by themselves this year after such a challenging 2020,” said intu Milton Keynes general manger, Shelley Peppard. “The Thinking of You campaign will hand deliver a small treat, and most importantly, a letter for them to read. We need people of all ages to put pen to paper and write a letter that lets an older person know they’re being thought of.”

The letter can be handwritten and be of any length. The content can include anything, but suggestions include an introduction from the author, who they are and information about themselves.

It can talk about the past twelve months, what the writer is looking forward to or even dreams for 2021. The conversation can be as freely written as preferred and could include photographs, although this is not essential. People are asked not seal the envelope or card.

intu has teamed up with Age UK Milton Keynes to help identify the individuals in particular need this year and will help to deliver the packages safely.

Paula Ayers, Development Manager at Age UK Milton Keynes said: “It will make a huge difference to older people suffering the mental health effects of isolation and living alone. Just knowing that somebody cares and has taken time to write a letter however long brightens someone’s day. We can never thank organisations such as intu Milton Keynes enough for helping us to support the older residents of Milton Keynes.

We will be delighted to help distribute their gift packages and letters over the festive period.”

Later this month, a member of the team at intu Milton Keynes will head to the supermarket, purchase the goods and bring back to the centre for packaging. Once complete, the letters will be inserted, sealed and left for over a week before being delivered.

Shelley said: “We are following advice and guidance from the government and Age UK Milton Keynes to ensure the packages are safe to be delivered and meet all necessary requirements. I would like to thank every individual that has dedicated their time to the Thinking of You campaign as this will make a small but meaningful difference to someone on their own.”

Letters can be emailed to [email protected] or posted to intu Milton Keynes, Thinking of You, Marketing Department, 67 Midsummer Blvd, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3GB

If you are a local company that would like to donate small items to be included in the boxes, please contact i[email protected] .