Woman to send hundreds of Christmas cards to care homes

A woman is planning to send hundreds of Christmas cards to care home residents facing loneliness due to coronavirus restrictions.

Andrea Fraser, 28, aims to brighten up Christmas Day for elderly people who may not have visitors.

The trainee lawyer, from Leith, Edinburgh, usually collects presents for children in need during the festive period.

But this year she has turned her attention to care home residents – many of whom have been at direct threat from Covid-19 and have had to self-isolate.

Andrea is planning on sending hundreds of Christmas cards to care home residents. SWNS via SWNS

Andrea is also looking to send cards to elderly people living alone across the city and has had more than 3000 requests – and offers to help from as far away as Australia.

She has organised seven collection and drop-off points around Edinburgh for those wishing to take part in writing and donating cards for the elderly this Christmas.

The card stations are currently at the post box on Leith Walk, Morrisons in Portobello Road and the little book cupboard St Mary’s School on Leith Links.

‘This year, more than ever and due to the extraordinary measures care homes are having to take to limit visitors, I believe more people than ever will be experiencing loneliness.’
Andrea Fraser

Andrea said: “This year, more than ever and due to the extraordinary measures care homes are having to take to limit visitors, I believe more people than ever will be experiencing loneliness.

“So I have been determined to be better organised and try to beat my previous record of 300 Christmas cards.

“I got posting again in local Facebook groups and it really just took off. The community response has been incredible.

“I have lots of boxes of blank cards that people can fill out, so I will drop them off at different collection points around the city.

“It’s impossible to tell at the moment how many I have, but it’s a lot. It’s amazing how generous the community is.

“I have had offers to make cards, crochet cards, have children make cards and even an offer from a Portobello resident who is currently living in Australia. It has been amazing.

‘I will make sure to come up with a certain way to quarantine the cards before they are handed to residents for safety reasons.’
Andrea Fraser

“I will make sure to come up with a certain way to quarantine the cards before they are handed to residents for safety reasons.”

She came up with the idea of delivering cards to the elderly last year while she was making shoeboxes of gifts for children.

With some of the money left over from fundraising for young people in need, she decided to buy cards for those in the older generation who are prone to loneliness.

Andrea said: “It was a bit last minute last year, but with the little money I had left from the children campaign I managed to get around 300 cards delivered.

“I was delivering them to homes up until 6pm on Christmas Eve, I felt like Santa.”

Andrea is currently focusing on delivering cards just in Edinburgh, but plans may change depending on how much momentum the project gathers.

She said: “It may be that we stretch further afield, or that people in other towns and cities take on a similar idea for their areas.

“Either way, it’s lovely to be able to do something that puts a smile on someone’s face this Christmas.”