A CARE home near Cleobury Mortimer has been inundated with letters from as far as Italy after it put out an appeal on social media to keep residents connected with the outside world during the coronavirus lockdown.
Doddington Lodge launched the Friends of Doddington appeal to encourage people in the local community to send letters, drawings and cards to help cheer up elderly residents while they are unable to receive visits from loved ones.
As well as being sent dozens of letters from local schoolchildren, including Bayton C of E Primary, and people as far as London, Ireland and Italy, which are now decorating the care home's walls, residents have also received gifts of jigsaws and wool.
Home manager Scott Stevens said: "Due to the covid-19 outbreak and being in lockdown for nearly three weeks, the management at Doddington Lodge thought it would be a good idea to set up Friends of Doddington.
"We put an appeal out on our Facebook page and asked the local community to get in touch and send letters, cards, drawings or paintings to try to cheer our residents up during a difficult time.
"We've had letters from children saying what they have been doing at school before they broke up, what their hobbies are and what they like doing, letters from Ireland talking about gardening and letters from Italy and London."
Scott said Doddington staff have been keeping spirits high during the lockdown by hosting quizzes, singalongs and Easter bonnet crafts.
He added: "I do feel for visitors because visitors are a big part of the home and the community.
"Because nobody has been able to come in, we’ve arranged set up times for people to ring to speak to the residents. It's important that that connection continues with family and friends as it keeps the morale of residents high."
The care home is continuing its letters appeal and is urging more people in the community to write to a Doddington resident.
Letters can be sent to 'Friends Of Doddington Lodge', Cleobury Mortimer, DY14 0HJ.
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