Letter Writer of the Month - Sarette

by Jennifer Bishop March 17, 2025

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 750+ 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 March is Sarette.

London Letters - Letter Writer of the Month - Sarette

"I have a letter written in 1981 by my dad to my sister and I, describing life on HMS Rothesay and the rough weather. I was 10 when I received it and I’m 54 now. How many texts or emails will we have easy access to 44 years later?"

Name: Sarette
Age: 54
Job Title: Communications Advisor and Canine Hydrotherapist
Location: Hampshire
Member since: October 2021

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

I live on the south coast of Hampshire with my dog Wilson. I’ve got a desk job three days a week and work as a canine hydrotherapist on Fridays, which is just a little bit more fun. I gave up working Mondays 18 months ago and the joy of having a three-day weekend every weekend remains undiminished! I had an American pen pal when I was at junior school and used to write to a couple of friends at art college and in the army in the 1990s. Since then though, I barely put pen to paper until I joined the London Letters pen pal club and began corresponding with Suzanne.

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

Letter writing is definitely special. Scrolling through a text or email just doesn’t have the same feel as digging out a letter from years ago and seeing the literal written word. I have some sent in the early 1980s from my dad when he was at sea with the Royal Navy. He died in 2019 and it’s lovely to know they’re there, even if I read them infrequently. They’re particularly poignant now as he had severe dementia when he died so the dad I knew as a child and younger adult was long gone by the time he passed.

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

Digital communication is instant and, I think, that includes the level of thought we put into it. Letter writing allows us to go off at a tangent, ramble a little. My letters to Suzanne cover all sorts of topics but there’s rarely a letter without some mention of Wilson.

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

In the course of answering this I dug out a box of old letters and found a few dozen in there, from old school and college friends, my dad while at sea and even one from my long-departed granny congratulating me on my new role as an ‘executive’ - little did she know getting a job as a media relations executive at a PR company back in 1995 hardly meant I’d hit the job jackpot! I’ve attached a couple of photos of the first two pages of a letter written in 1981 by my dad to my sister and I, describing life on HMS Rothesay and the rough weather. I was 10 when I received it and I’m 54 now. How many texts or emails will we have easy access to 44 years later?

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

My actual letter writing set up is very far removed from my dream set up! I would love a big desk with lots of drawers and dividers for bits and pieces. A good lamp. A lovely view of the countryside. A fountain pen that doesn’t feel scratchy.

My reality is I’m sat on the settee or at my work desk. I’m aiming to move this year so getting a decent space to write in my new property is on the list, even if it’s just a dedicated corner.

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

I think I came across London Letters on Instagram and dithered for a while about signing up to the pen pal club. I didn’t want to commit to something that might become a chore. But sign up I did and I enjoy writing to Suzanne which we’ve done since October 2021. We’ve never met and maybe never will but we’re friends, sharing each other’s lives across 200+ miles. She also sends Wilson money for steak at Christmas which I think is brilliant - and so does he!

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

Absolutely they do and perhaps now more than ever. I was listening to something on Radio 4 recently and they were discussing how sleeper trains were gaining in popularity again, away from the stress of planes and airports. There will always be a place for slower living, whether that’s taking the scenic route on a journey or the scenic route in your mind via a handwritten letter.

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

Just give it a go. Maybe your correspondence will fizzle out - and that’s ok. But we need to keep letter writing alive before Royal Mail falls completely off a cliff. And it’s so nice to get An Actual Proper Letter in the post.

A huge thank you to our Sarette for her time, and we hope you enjoyed getting to know her! Why not try a dreamy new pen to use for your next letter?

Would you like to join our club? We're always open to new members, you can learn more about the club here.

Letter Writer of the Month - Sarette

Leave a comment