Free postcards to boost letter writing

One of the postcards which will be distributed to schools to encourage letter writing. Photo...
One of the postcards which will be distributed to schools to encourage letter writing. Photo supplied.
An initiative is under way to keep the art of letter writing alive by bringing it to a new generation through the gift of thousands of free postcards and stamps to school-aged children.

East Taieri School, Taieri Beach School and Silverstream School are part of the nationwide Warehouse Stationery Get New Zealand Writing programme, which is designed to help improve literacy and language skills through letter writing.

The initiative will give pupils at the schools, an opportunity to write a postcard to a loved one using their best handwriting, and have it delivered free, anywhere in the country.

More than 70,000 postcards will be gifted to participating schools as part of the campaign, which is now in its second year.

Parents are also encouraged to get involved and 50,000 free postcards and postage are available to them also.

Warehouse Stationery chief executive officer Pejman Okhovat said international research had shown when pupils practised writing by hand, they learned how to read and write more quickly and more accurately.

‘‘The Get New Zealand Writing initiative is a fun way to focus on the importance of writing in a child's life.

‘‘In times when traditional letter writing is becoming a lost art, we think it's important to continue to encourage Kiwi children to keep it alive.''

Mr Okhovat said the company would also launch its My Favourite Words campaign this month.

New Zealand children and their families will have the opportunity to submit their favourite word and reason why, and have the chance for their handwritten sentence selected to appear in the final notebook.

Proceeds raised from the notebook will be donated to the Warehouse Stationery Scholarship Fund, an initiative with the Salvation Army which helps young New Zealanders achieve their tertiary study goals.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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