During COVID-19,writing letters of support is one of the creative ways you can volunteer to help people who are going through challenging times or experiencing isolation.

CRiTiCALL’s Letters of Courage and Hope collects letters for people leaving domestic violence. There are also opportunities to write letters to someone in a nursing home.

If you’ve signed up to write a letter, you might have hit a roadblock… most of us are out of practice writing letters! Here are a few pointers to get you started:

• If you’re looking at your paper and drawing a blank, think about the last few social conversations you’ve had with people outside your household- what did you share in those conversations? What did you enjoy hearing about from the others? You might also do a web search on writing to penpals to get ideas.
• The purpose of the letters is to be upbeat, encouraging, and hopeful. That certainly doesn’t mean you can’t share your own experiences, however hard, and you don’t have to manufacture optimism if you don’t feel it. Sympathy and solidarity are important too. Do remember to keep your reader in mind and try to think about how you could brighten their day a bit. Think about what’s made you smile lately; or is there a quote or story that helps you pick yourself up? What is making you feel grateful and hopeful right now?
• Don’t worry too much about being original. Your own written ‘voice’ is unique and can carry a human connection to your reader. Even if you end up saying similar things as other writers, the person who reads your letter probably won’t know! Your letter is a gesture showing someone that they’re not forgotten.
• This kind of volunteering is a great opportunity to get kids involved, especially if they like making art. Art isn’t just for kids, though; if you’re feeling creative maybe you could decorate your writing paper or practice your calligraphy by making a card.
• A handwritten letter always feels personal and exciting, but many of us feel a little anxious about our handwriting or spelling. Keep in mind that you can always copy your letter over if you want to, but equally, don’t be too hard on yourself and remember that no one’s perfect.

Which leads me to my final point… the best letter is the sent letter. We all know the excitement of finding something in the letterbox that isn’t from the gas company or local council. However imperfect your letter may be, it can be a ray of sunlight for someone – but only if you put it in the mail! So don’t let yourself get too bogged down; have a little think, sit down and write out your message, and put it in the post.

And if you finish and think to yourself, “that wasn’t so hard,” consider writing more letters for the same or another letter appeal, or just for your own friends and family. Who knows, maybe you’ll unlock a new talent!

-Julie Daly, Placement Support Officer

Volunteer with CRiTiCALL More Letter Writing Volunteer Roles