Times are tough just now, and this Christmas will be one of the most challenging yet. We’ve got to come together like never before. That means reaching out and staying connected with the most vulnerable and isolated members of our community.

Earlier this year, An Post—Ireland’s postal service—announced it would carry letters, large envelopes, packets and parcels up to 2Kg addressed to residents in nursing homes, residential accommodation in the mental health or disability sectors and convalescent homes for free until 31st January 2021.

It’s a wonderful gesture that will support families and loved ones living in care homes, who have been so terribly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

That’s why I have written to Royal Mail and asked them to follow An Post’s lead and offer free postage to and from care homes in the UK.

The Royal Mail’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has been amazing. Their staff have carried on in the toughest of times with professionalism and dedication. By October, they had already handled more letters and parcels than they did in the whole of 2019.

But even while for the rest of us lockdowns have been lifted and then re-imposed, in care homes there have been continuous restrictions on visitors. In many homes, relatives can only visit if the loved one is dying. Making it easy to send letters and cards to them is one small way we can try to make sure that no one is left behind this winter.

Now is the time for you to tell Royal Mail what it would mean for lonely people in our community.

There are lots of vulnerable people in Care Homes like Swn Y Gan who would really benefit from this and it would make a real difference to their feelings of isolation this winter.

By telling the Royal Mail how much this initiative would mean to our local community, we can really highlight the power this small gesture will have on some of the most vulnerable people across Wales, not just in Penclawdd.

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