How it works.

Letters are read, stamped and posted by our volunteers.

THE PROGRAMME

How a match comes together.

01 · You say hello

Fill in a short form about what you enjoy, how often you like to write and anything that would make letters easier, from large print to a favourite pen colour.

02 · We make an introduction

A small team reads every form and suggests a pairing. We look for shared curiosity rather than shared ages: gardeners, football fans, people who still miss their first dog.

03 · The first letter goes out

Your letter comes to our office first. We read it, add a stamp and send it on with a short note, so neither of you ever needs to share a home address.

04 · The replies arrive

Replies travel the same way. Write as long or as short as you like, once a month, for as long as the friendship suits you both.

Safe by design.

Letters are personal, so the way we handle them is careful. These are the house rules of our fictional programme, and the kind of rules a real one should have.

Questions about safeguarding?

A real charity would publish its full safeguarding policy here. Kind Regards is a fictional template, so this section shows the shape of one.

All post travels through the charity’s office. Pen pals never need to share where they live.

No home addresses

Two trained volunteers read each letter before it is posted and raise anything worrying with our coordinator.

Every letter read

Pen pals use first names and the name of their town or school, nothing more specific than that.

First names only

Everyone who reads post or hosts a gathering completes training and the background checks a real charity would require.

Checked volunteers

Writers never pay for stamps. Money should not decide who gets to receive a letter.

We pay the postage

Friendships end gently. Tell us and we will close the pairing with a final note from the team.

Leave whenever you like

Every role keeps the same promise: kind words, careful handling and no home addresses.

Find your kind of post.

THREE WAYS TO TAKE PART

Every role keeps the same promise: kind words, careful handling and no home addresses.

What it involves

Time it takes

Best for

Training provided

Meets in person

Background check needed

Pen pal

One friendship, one letter a month.

Letter afternoon

Write together over tea, once a term.

Card circle

Make cards at home for other writers.

The blank page is the hardest part, so here is a secret: nobody minds an ordinary beginning. Say hello. Mention the weather, what you had for lunch, the bird that keeps visiting your windowsill. Then ask one real question. What was your first job? What is the best thing you have ever cooked? Which song do you skip every single time? Questions give the other person somewhere to begin. Finish with something small you are looking forward to, and sign off however feels like you. Kind regards. Warmly. Yours, with a slightly wobbly signature. We have seen them all, and they all work.

YOUR FIRST LETTER

Start with the weather. Everyone does.

It takes ten minutes to say hello. We will do the rest: the match, the stamps and the careful reading in between.

Ready to write the first line?

P.S. We pay for the stamps.

Read the volunteer questions