Lockdown Postcards #2

After creating my own Lockdown Postcards inspired by Martin Parr’s Boring Postcards and to reach out to family and friends I was missing, I approached Age UK East London and The Literacy Pirates to expand the project. 

The aim was to get the Young Pirates to write a message of hope to older Hackney residents isolating alone due to the pandemic, giving them a nice surprise through their letterbox.

Kindly funded by Clarion Futures, and in partnership with Age UK East London, the project went ahead in December 2020. Art packs and blank postcards designed by me were sent out in the post which the Young Pirates then used on an exciting virtual two day ship session led by Crewmate Tommy.

In total 38 ‘Thinking Of You’ postcards were decorated and sent out to vulnerable Age UK contacts, offering an uplifting message personally written from each Young Pirate.  On the reverse of the card were details of Age UK’s services and an opportunity to write back to the Young Pirate.

The project has been featured in The Hackney Gazette, Book Brunch and on BBC Radio London.