Woman to send hundreds of cards to Edinburgh care home residents this Christmas - here's how you can help

An Edinburgh resident has spent her time under the recent lockdown restrictions arranging for hundreds of cards to be delivered to care home residents who risk being lonely this Christmas.

Andrea Fraser, a trainee lawyer living in the Capital, normally spends each year gathering presents for children in need during the festive period.

But this year, the Edinburgh resident wanted to do her bit for the country’s elderly people and arrange for cards to be delivered to those who may not have visitors during the festive period due to the ongoing pandemic.

She has organised various collection and drop-off points around the Capital for those wishing to take part in donating and writing cards for the elderly this Christmas.

Andrea and her niece. Andrea has been sorting gifts for children at Christmas time for the last five years, but this year she has decided to send cards to residents in care homes as the country still remains under tight restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic. Picture: Andrea Fraser

"The community response has been incredible,” she said.

"I have lots of boxes of blank cards that people can fill out, so I will drop them off at different collection points around the city.

"It’s impossible to tell at the moment how many I have, but it’s a lot.”

The card stations are currently at the post box on Leith Walk, Morrisons in Portobello Road and the little book cupboard St Mary’s School on Leith Links.

Andrea is yet to confirm dates and timings for collection and drop off, but you can follow the progress of her project on her Christmas Cards for Care Home Facebook page.

So far, she has received a positive response from care homes in the Capital agreeing to take cards for residents from the public.

"Erskine Care Homes said it would love some cards this year, so I have about 77 going to their residents, and I am just finalising details for sending some to others in the city.

"These are extraordinary times and restrictions are so limiting that I think everyone is really feeling it for the elderly and want to do their bit.

"It’s amazing how generous the community is. I have had offers to make cards, crochet cards, have children make cards and even an offer from a Portobello resident who is currently living in Australia. It has been amazing.

“I will make sure to come up with a certain way to quarantine the cards before they are handed to residents for safety reasons.”

Andrea said she is currently focussing on delivering cards just in Edinburgh, but plans may change depending on how much momentum the project gathers.

"It may be that we stretch further afield, or that people in other towns and cities take on a similar idea for their areas.

"Either way, it’s lovely to be able to do something that puts a smile on someone’s face this Christmas.”

Care homes wishing to receive cards can email Andrea on [email protected].

Andrea came up with the idea of delivering cards to the elderly last year while she was making shoeboxes of gifts for children.

With some of the money left over from fundraising for young people in need, she decided to buy cards for those in the older generation who are prone to loneliness.

“It was a bit last minute last year, but with the little money I had left from the children campaign I managed to get around 300 cards delivered,” she added.

"I was delivering them to homes up until 6pm on Christmas Eve, I felt like Santa.”

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