Springlawn House Launches #FindBrittney Campaign
Springlawn House has launched a #FindBrittney campaign, to locate and thank a mystery pen pal from Texas. Brittney’s colourful, hand-crafted response to a pen pal appeal was a beautiful boost to residents, says Manager, Clara Robinson. Springlawn House is part of the Springlawn Group of Nursing Homes in Omagh.
“Last September we launched an initiative to find pen pals for residents because visits are limited during Covid-19,” says, Clara. “We were overwhelmed with heart-warming support from people hoping to virtually befriend our residents.”
Brittney’s Surprise Package from Texas
“One set of letters, however, came as a huge surprise to us all. The package was from Texas, in the USA. It contained nine personalised letters – one for each resident who featured in the pen pal campaign. Each letter was enclosed in a coloured envelope with beautiful hearts, feathers and butterfly decorations. But there was no surname or address.”
“All that is known of Brittney is that she is a stay-at-home mother from San Antonio, Texas,” says Clara. “She also described how she took careful steps for infection control by closing each letter with washi tape instead of sealing the envelopes by mouth.”
“Springlawn House has worked hard to successfully remain infection free throughout the pandemic, so we really appreciated this extra effort. Our staff have been dedicated to residents’ care and connections at this time of social distancing.”
#FindBrittney Social Media Campaign
Clara says Brittney’s letters made such a positive impact on residents that her team would love to return the kindness. “Management at Springlawn House are so grateful for the correspondence that we are calling on the power of social media to help us #FindBrittney”.
“Brittney didn’t give a return address, but we would love to find her to send a Thank You parcel from us all. She said she didn’t expect a response back, she just wanted to send smiles. This lady had never made contact with the home before, so it was a real surprise.”
“Our Facebook post to #FindBrittney has been shared to almost 10,000 people so far, but we haven’t been able to find her yet. If we do, we’ll send her an Irish hamper packed with treats like Tayto crisps and Dairy Milk chocolate.”
Springlawn House Residents Love New Pen Pals
“Residents have been talking about how nice and exciting it was to receive a letter from the US.” Some were amazed at how far away their letters had come from, she adds.
“The pen pal initiative has given everyone a lift at Springlawn House. Each resident taking part is now connected with a person who shares similar interests.
Ms Robinson says they have tried to make a positive out of the limited visiting hours that the pandemic has imposed. “It has given us a chance to build on our relationships because we have more one-to-one time with our clients. We get to sit down with them for longer and get to know more about their background.”
“I am so proud of my very strong work team. We have great support from the families, who trust in us to look after their family. They have been so understanding. And our Facebook Page has proved a great way to keep residents and families in touch, virtually.”
Clara says Springlawn House would like to thank anyone who has helped with the #FindBrittney campaign so far. She adds that they would love Brittney to get in touch with them at springlawn@hotmail.com .”
Find out more about Springlawn House by visiting the Springlawn Group of Nursing Homes on Facebook or on the Springlawn House page of the group website.
