Send love to elderly people alone for Christmas

Locals can share the love with the elderly this Christmas by putting cards in the drop-box at Rotorua Library. Photo/Supplied

Locals can help send festive cheer and love to elderly residents in rest homes who will be alone this Christmas.

The initiative is being run by the newly established Sending Love organisation and there are 10 towns and cities around New Zealand now involved.

Rotorua Library communications lead Sandra Quinn says local Helen Brumby saw the initiative on Facebook and wanted to bring it to Rotorua.

Sandra says Helen got in touch with the library as she thought it would be a great, central location the community can access.

The idea of Sending Love is to write a Christmas card to elderly who will be lonely this Christmas.

New Zealand Aged Care Association will co-ordinate with rest homes to get the cards to recipients.

Sandra says library staff were delighted to have a Sending Love Drop-box there.

"Sharing Christmas cards is a wonderful, low-cost way of thinking about others at what can be a difficult and lonely time for many.

"It is a nice way to spend a bit of time doing something that will really brighten someone's day, so we really encourage people of all ages in the Rotorua community to put some words down in a card and bring it in.

"Let's fill up the box and share some love!"

If you would like to send some love this Christmas, either buy or make one or more cards, write your message and then drop it in the box at the Rotorua Library by December 6.

Tips for writing a card
- Make sure your card is filled with love.
- Make it as creative as you can.
- Ensure it has a legible message.
- Keep your envelope unsealed to give the rest homes discretion to check cards if they choose.
- Try to avoid religious quotes - your recipient may not be religious.
- Just be you.

For more information visit sendinglove.co.nz/collections.