Coronavirus: Pandemic pen pals span miles and generations

Schoolgirl Ella, from West Yorkshire, first wrote to Madge Weatherhead at the Little Bramingham Farm home in Luton as a homeschooling project.

Ella's father Ashley Davies said as well as the "blossoming friendship" her handwriting had vastly improved.

Ms Weatherhead said receiving the letters had been a "real pick-me-up".

Mr Davies, 34, said the pen pal relationship started after he contacted the home in Luton, where his partner Charlotte is from.

"We were thinking of new ways to keep Ella entertained through lockdown and also from a learning point of view to help her with her handwriting," he said.

"But as well as the objective of helping her with her schoolwork, we really wanted to make sure she was doing something to put a smile on somebody else's face."

Ms Weatherhead also helped Ella with a project around VE Day by providing an insight into what it was like during that time and the correspondence has continued as lockdown restrictions begin to lift.

"It has been lovely to see Ella learn a different perspective," her father said.

Staff at the home, run by charity Friends of the Elderly, said it had encouraged outreach programmes throughout the pandemic to help keep residents connected to their community.

Manager Emma Lawrance said Ms Weatherhead had "thoroughly enjoyed" getting the letters.

"She feels like she's giving something back, it really has helped her well-being," she said.

"We've all missed having community groups come in so having those letters is just so important."

Ms Weatherhead said: "Reading her letters makes me think of my own childhood and I love learning about Ella's lockdown adventures.

"This new friendship with Ella means a lot... sadly many members of my family live abroad, so we don't see each other as often as we'd like.

"To receive letters from Ella is a real pick-me-up. It's these small and kind things that help us stay strong in difficult times."