Get your local primary involved in GCA’s Schools Initiative to help writing by exchanging cards
It’s back to school for the GCA as the industry association is instigating a significant Thinking Of You Week initiative to connect children with greeting cards in both the UK and Ghana – and help their handwriting too.
To tie in with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the GCA Schools Initiative aims to bring together up to 70 UK primary schools with the same number in the West African Commonwealth country to enable youngsters to exchange cards, which actively promotes empathy, helps with emotional communication and conveys the value of doing something special for others, as well as being a fun way to practice writing.
This educational tie-up project is being driven by Adriana Lovesy, the GCA’s marketing and membership coordinator and founder of Mrs Lovesy card company.
“The aim is to spread the joy of card sending, and will aid the children’s own sense of identity, their ability to express themselves, and to assist them with their understanding of others,” Adriana told PG Buzz.
Adriana has already forged relationships with the schools in Ghana and has several UK schools on board to participate, but the association is now looking for more UK primaries to take part.
“We’d love those in the greeting community to contact their local schools, be it where their children attend or with whom they have links through their businesses, and encourage them to take part by downloading and sharing the presentation on the GCA website, which gives all the information and details on how to register,” explained Adriana.
“Consultation with teachers has identified children in Years 3 and 4 as those who would benefit most from this initiative – these are milestone years in a child’s development and sense of identity, and also when they become more conscious of a much bigger world beyond their immediate family. However, the children to include is at the discretion of the participating schools.”.
The schools will all be provided with greeting cards for the children to write their messages with award-winning greeting card publishers Lottie Simpson, from Lottie Simpson, dreaming up designs for the UK children, and Afrotouch Design’s Georgina Fihosy designing for the Ghanaian youngsters.
Graphite Creative has agreed to print the cards, with G.F Smith supplying the board, Enveco providing the envelopes, and publisher and retailer Ohh Deer is donating pens for the pupils in Ghana to write their cards.
Adriana added: “Thank you all – this really is a GCA team effort!”
And the initiative has been launched at a good time to help youngsters as the latest research from RS Assessment from Hodder Education and SchoolDash showing primary pupils across England are still behind pre-pandemic levels for grammar, punctuation and spelling, although they have caught up in reading and maths.
Launched by the GCA in 2014, TOYW has grown into a popular annual and international event, now also celebrated in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Supported this year by Royal Mail and a growing number of retailers, both multiples and independents, this year’s TOYW runs over 19-25 September, and promotes actively thinking of others, expressing people’s caring natures and spreading positivity.
The GCA is running a consumer media campaign to highlight Thinking Of You Week 2022, the aim of the week is to create a wave of love, caring and happiness by making or choosing cards and writing positive messages to different people.
The GCA Schools presentation can be downloaded via this link on its website, and any questions can be directed to adriana@gca.cards.
