I discovered something magnificent today: The Sunday Letter Project. And, if you don’t know of it, I hope learning about it brings you the same level of joy it brought me.
Today I was in one of my favourite local independent bookshops, Books at the Dragon’s Garden, in Llandovery. I pop in there every time I’m in this petite and beautiful Carmarthenshire market town. Chatting to it’s owner Mandy, and my friend, Amanda, and anyone else who wandered in to peruse, exclaim delight and thumb, stroke (yes, I know I can’t help myself), and purchase beautiful books , art and gifts, I am drawn to a small table in the corner.
On it there is a poster, a printed explanation and a small pile of colourful letters in a miriad of different sized and shaped envelopes.
I fall into a well of delight when I read and then talk about The Sunday Letter Project. In its absolute simplest and purist form its a pen pal connecting scheme, encouraging people to commit to had writing a letter a week to someone or several someones, all around the world
It’s no wonder, in the world we currently live in, that Gen Z, Gen Alpha, probably Gen X, Baby Boomers, Millennials ( whatever each of us is labelled as by birth year) are hankering back to simpler times.
Apparently Gen Z have rediscovered Jigsaws (I heard that on The Archers). They should talk to my mum, she’s been bang on trend for decades!
What is the Sunday Letter Project?
The Sunday Letter Project is a global letter-writing initiative started in September 2025 by Rebecca and Karl of Wildflower Illustration Co. It invites people to take a free pledge to write one handwritten letter every Sunday to their friends, loved ones, strangers or themselves.
As a kid I used to have a pen pal. And in recent years (during the days of Twitter), I connected with a lady in Australia who was hankering after a pen pal. Anita and I have written periodically since.
There is NOTHING MORE JOYFUL, than the arrival of a hand written letter in something other than a plain brown or white envelope. Hand written, personalised, non-demanding, community sharing, connecting. Even trying to read the scribbles where the brain has moved faster than the pen or vice versa, is fun. And its a physical thing, it has a feel and a smell. You can touch it, turn the sheets over in your hands , stroke the pages (yes I know – I can’t help it). There is something soulful about a letter. It is human connection in a pure form, across the oceans. Someone has sat down, with intention, and shared a little of themselves onto a page. They’ve chosen the paper, the pens/pencils/crayons. They’ve thought about the recipient. They’ve taken time, gently folded it and sealed it into an envelope. They’ve taken a trip to a post office. And then they’ve waited. A week, two, three and then there it is, a reply. A response, hand written, asking questions, seeking connection, sharing stories, full of anticipation of a carefully crafted (not perfect) but stunning in its authenticity and character, to arrive back, at some point in the near future.
The difference here to the traditional ‘pen pal’ method is the creation of a “Letter Keepers Network” of of independent bookshops, stationery shops and cafe’s that act as connectors. You don’t already have to have a pen pal to start. this will connect you to all sorts of people. simply choose a Letter Keeper and send an introductory letter . The right people will find it and choose to reply, returning a letter to your local letter keeper. No private addresses change hands.
What is the Sunday Letter Project for?
Wildflower Illustrations Co is based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Rebecca and Karl started the project with three things in mind:-Human connection: “We have never been so supposedly connected and yet felt more disconnected. We wanted to do our bit to try and change that”.
Balance: “Offering a mindful ritual that can provide balance in a screen-filled world ”
Preserving Letter Writing for future generations: “We heard from our customers again and again about how worried they were about a whole generation missing out on the joy of letters.”
Pure and simple values. Pure and simple, mindful activity. Bringing joy, calm and connection. What more do we need?
Right, I’m off to start penning an intro letter. Are you ready to take the pledge?
Take The Pledge
Participants can make a personal commitment to carve out a moment to write a letter every Sunday. You can sign here to help give us an idea of numbers of participants and receive weekly creative writing prompts, or simply write alongside us privately.
