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Letter Writer of the Month - Alan

The London Letters Pen Pal Club began its life in 2019 with the hope of bringing together letter writing enthusiasts from across the globe to celebrate the joy of receiving letters and the power of the written word.

Over the years we've grown slowly but surely in numbers each week, and we're so proud to now be a 850+ community of snail mailers! We have members from different countries, ages, religions, sexualities, political views, careers, disabilities, and genders - and whilst our differences vary dramatically, we are all united by a love of letters.

'Letter Writer of the Month' is a monthly journal entry where we invite one member from the club to give us an insight into their journey with letters. Some have always been letter writers from a young age, others only began when they signed up to the club. Our members all have a unique story to tell, and we hope you'll love getting to hear it. 

Our Letter Writer of the Month for July is Alan.

" Writing and receiving letters takes us back to a simpler time, when life was slower paced, and communication more determined."

Name: Alan
Age: 61
Job Title: Horticulturalist
Location: Essex
Member since: March 2023

Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in letter writing?

I am Alan, and I live in Harlow, Essex. I work in horticultural sales, so I am outside in all weathers and on any one day in the UK I can be both soaked through and slapping on sun cream!. My wife and I have children and grandchildren in different parts of England, as well as Spain and Australia, so keeping up with family is always fun! Although I enjoy art I am not very 'arty'. Some years ago I used to belong to a writing group where I lived, and that was my chance to be creative. Where I live now the writers group meets at a time when I am at work, so I gradually dropped out of the habit. Letter writing allows me to once again be a bit creative, and instead of writing for myself I can write for someone else. And the thrill of receiving a letter never gets old! 

What is it about letters that you think makes them special?

Writing and receiving letters takes us back to a simpler time, when life was slower paced, and communication more determined. For me, writing letters shows a more thoughtful process where choosing the correct word, phrase and punctuation becomes a deliberate act.

What type of things do you write in letters compared to digital communications?

I find emails and texts very impersonal, all about knowledge transfer rather than real life. I try to make my letters as natural as possible, writing about the things that are closest to me: my family, our garden, things I see around me. 

Do you have a favourite letter, either famous or one you have received personally?

This is an easy one. Remi Ochlik was an award winning French photojournalist who was tragically killed in Syria in 2012 whilst covering the civil war. Not long after his death, his partner, Emilie Blachere wrote Remi a letter telling him all the things she loved about him. Despite the palpable sadness the letter is filled with love and even joy. If you want a perfect letter, try this one.

Do you feel any positive benefits to your mental health when you write?

My work can be very busy and intense, with some long days. Sitting down with pen and paper slows me down, it gives me time to breathe and notice what is going on around me. It allows me to be alert to life. As Mary Oliver wrote, 'I want to be a bride, married to amazement.'   

Describe your letter writing set up. Do you have a favourite pen or paper? Where are you when you're writing?

I have a range of pens that I use, by Ellington, Kaweko and Spl. I've also recently gotten into writing pencils, so I am experimenting with some of those. I love handcrafted cards, and try to buy some where I find them, especially if they tell a story. And of course the London Letters monthly stationery delivery gets used. I write in lots of locations and situations: listening to music, sitting in the garden, up at the local common. I always carry a pen and card, so I can write wherever the mood takes me.

What made you sign up to our pen pal club and take a leap of faith by writing to a stranger?

I have always enjoyed the 'analogue' life, I have a couple of old school film cameras, and I wanted to step away from just emails and such. I saw a social media post about the pen pal club, and I was hooked!

Do you believe letters still have a place in modern society?

Absolutely! Despite the challenges of life in the fast lane, there will always be an opportunity for individuals to take up a pen and paper and write to those they care about.

What role do you think letters will play in the future?

People have been writing letters and correspondence for thousands of years. I hope that we will continue to write for ages more.

What would you say to someone to encourage them to give letter writing a try?

Just do it. Don't overthink the process, just think of someone you know, and write them a letter or a postcard. Write anything, sign it, pop a stamp on it and take it to the postbox. All that is left to do then is to wait in anticipation for a letter, sent to you, lands on your doormat. Then read it with glee!

 

A huge thank you to our Alan for his time, and we hope you enjoyed getting to know him! Why not take that leap of faith and join our pen pal club too? We're always open to new members, you can learn more about the club here.

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