While this weekend saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson leave St Thomas’ Hospital in London to get home to sackfuls of get well cards from the public, up in Nottingham, Emma Ball’s sales manager Lucy Howard made a special delivery at the city’s QMC’s hospital. The staff of Ward F22, a palliative care Covid-19 ward were “so grateful” to receive 2,000 greeting cards, 1,000 postcards, 200 notebooks, a host of thank you notelets that were donated by Nottingham-based Emma Ball.
The donation was made in answer to a plea from the patients, who in the final stages of their lives wanted to write cards to their loved ones. A poignant reminder of the very important role greeting cards play in our lives, tangible proof of relationships and love.
The positive role of cards has also been championed widely in the media connected to Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been inundated with get well soon cards ever since he was tested positive with the coronavirus. A news story, put out by the national news agency, Press Association, entitled ‘Children make get well soon cards for Boris Johnson’ appeared in all manner of national and regional newspapers as well as countless online news sites sharing how thousands and thousands of people have sent the Prime Minister cards. The articles were generally accompanied by uplifting images of cards that had been made by children. Setting an example of how now is the time to put political leanings to one side, former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson was keen to share the card his 11 year old son had made for Boris Johnson.
Coinciding with the Prime Minister leaving hospital after having been in an intensive care unit suffering from Covid-19, Saturday’s edition of The Times featured how many thousands of cards had been sent to 10 Downing Street from wellwishers. “There are boxes and boxes in his outer office,” a Downing Street spokesperson was quoted. “They are really lovely and come from people of all ages and all over the country. I think when he sees them he will be tremendously grateful for everyone’s kind wishes.”
