Could you be the perfect pen pal for one of our older tenants? Sign up to be a Progress Housing Group pen pal, and make a difference to someone's life.

Our Progress Involvement Team has set up a pen pal service called Progress Pals as part of our volunteer offer at the the Group.

We speak to our Activities Coordinator, Danni, to find out more.

What is Progress Pals?
Progress Pals is a free pen pal service designed to bring people together and to build friendships. We will match volunteers with tenants for regular friendly conversation and share stories through letters.

How did the idea for Progress Pals come about?
The idea for Progress Pals first came about during Covid-19 when the lockdowns highlighted just how many of our tenants were feeling isolated or lonely.

I set up online coffee mornings once a month, but soon realised that unfortunately not everyone had access to a tablet or a mobile phone to join our Zoom chats. After speaking with tenants about this, many of them highlighted that they preferred the good old fashioned way of writing a letter!

Receiving a letter through the post can feel quite special.

 

What difference do you expect it will make to the people living in our independent living schemes receiving these letters?
It will make a huge difference - especially to those tenants who are feeling isolated or lonely.

Regularly keeping in touch with someone is important for our happiness and wellbeing, and receiving a letter through the post can feel quite special. Many pen pals become friends and forge bonds thanks to their common interests.

What can people expect from the Progress Pals project if they get involved?
You can expect to receive one letter per month from your pal who you would then write back to in return. All letters are sent though our head office and will be checked before being sent on. For any volunteer application forms that we receive, we ask for two references as well.

Also, expect to smile lots and hopefully make a lifelong friend!

Who, and how, can people get involved in Progress Pals?
Absolutely anyone can become a Progress Pal, but they do need to be over the age of 18. If you would like to become a Progress Pal we would love to hear from you!

Sign up to become a Progress Housing Group pen pal!

Danni will be going on maternity leave in the next couple of weeks, so if you are interested in signing up to become a Progress Pal, writing to one of our tenants at Progress Housing Group each month, please email us at community@progressgroup.org.uk, or call and ask for Susan Broster on 03333 204 555.

We can't wait to hear from you!

 

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