A seven-year-boy who was struggling with loneliness during the lockdown and asked for pen pals has been delighted to receive over a hundred handwritten letters.
Little Harley Glen missed his friends so much his mum posted a plea online for other children to get in touch – and the family have been overwhelmed with the response.
He received replies from people ranging from 18-months to 80-years-old and from as far as Massachusetts, USA.
Some of the envelopes included gifts such as photographs, sunflower seeds, books, hand woven key rings, handmade jewellery, drawings and stamps from around the world.
Harley is now trying to write back to all 120 people who took the time to send a letter – including a number of elderly grandparents who contacted him to say they feel lonely too.
His mum Ashley, 33, said she did not expect such a big response from her Facebook message.
She said: “I was completely shocked. Harley was really overwhelmed by them all – when you see them all together there are quite a few.”
Ashley and Harley’s dad Simone moved to Harrogate, North Yorks., from Edinburgh just before the lockdown began on 21 March.
Sadly Harley did not get a chance to say goodbye to his friends in Scotland before they packed up and, because of the school closures, he has not been able to meet any of his new classmates.
Ashley said: “As time went on Harley kept saying ‘I’m really lonely’, ‘I miss my friends’. We didn’t want the experience of moving to be a negative one.
“It was hard to see him so sad. We’re quite an outdoorsy and sociable family so it’s been quite tricky. That’s why the idea of a pen pal idea came about.”
Personal trainer Ashley joined a local Facebook group called Harrogate Mumbler and made a post asking if any other parents wanted their children to become pen pals with Harley.
Ashley added: “It just started to snowball from there. I got hundreds of messages through my Instagram page.
“We’ve had people from Australia and New Zealand send videos and Harley had a Skype call with a little boy in Osaka, Japan a few days ago.
“It’s really really positive. The continued message we’ve had is ‘don’t feel down, you’re not alone, people are thinking of you’.”
As well as communicating online, Ashley asked people to post letters to Harley’s new school, Western Primary School, as she did not want to hand out her home address.
She said: “We went to go pick them up from the school and I originally thought the lady said eight – but she actually said 89.
“I was completely shocked when she handed me the bundle. We never expected to receive so many.”
Mum Ashley let the school share her address with parents of children in Harley’s year, so he could start talking to his new classmates before starting year two.
Local families have since been hand delivering letters to Harley – so he now has 120 pen pals to write back to.
Speaking about his all of his new found pals, Harley said: “I was happy when I found out people wanted to be my friend.
“That’s one of the things I like about lockdown.”
It takes Harley 20 minutes to write each letter and he spends just under two hours each day keeping up with his correspondence.
He then bikes to his nearby post box to send the letters back to his new friends.
Ashley added: “Harley’s writing and reading has improved dramatically. He is getting used to sitting down and focusing on a daily basis.
“It’s now part of his routine. He tended to avoid writing as it’s not his strong point, so this creates a whole new dimension to the issue and finally he’s really enjoying it.
“He is getting to see so many different types of handwriting and get to learn so much about so many people. It’s also kept him away from YouTube for a bit.”
Ashley urged anyone struggling with loneliness to start writing letters like Harley.
She said: “The time we have now to sit down, make a project out of it, walk to the big red box and post a letter is so much more personal and it’ll mean so much more to the person receiving it.
“It’s being kind beyond measure. I think it’s just what we all need at the moment.”
Anyone wishing to get in touch with Harley can message his mum on Instagram @theexploremoremum or write a letter to Miss Ward at Western Primary School, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 0NA.