Essex, Suffolk, Welsh and Scottish towns top the kind hearts parade
#Cardmitment
*********PRESS RELEASE********
The UK’s Greeting Card Association has today revealed Britain’s top twenty ‘kindest towns’ based on two extensive surveys.
Over two in five[1] of the UK population now say they only use the Royal Mail to send greeting cards – nothing else – and for every 10 letters now sent, three greeting cards are purchased, a measure of the importance of the £1.5bn creative greeting card sector to the delivery service Britons love and to the overall economy.
It stands to reason that greeting card senders are some of the country’s most thoughtful and kind people.
They not only value the importance of an emotional connection between themselves and the person they’re thinking of, but also a physical one too, understanding that sending a card that’s been touched by both parties and written by hand is a powerful thing, bringing people closer together.
So, the Greeting Card Association has drawn on the findings of two of its largest members to reveal which British towns sent more greeting cards than any other.
Top of the list are two Essex towns – Chelmsford and Colchester with Denbigh in Wales and Beccles in Suffolk also making an appearance.
Also featuring high in the ‘top 20 kind hearts parade’ are the English towns of Carlisle, Chester and Stockton-on-Tees and Scottish towns of Alness, Cowdenbeath and Stranraer.
Other top 20 most thoughtful towns include Cambridge, Cardiff, Droitwich, Harlow, Harwich, Largs, Mansfield, Newtown, Southend-on-Sea and Wigan.
Just missing out on a place in the heart parade, but still incredibly kind towns are Bedlington, Stoke-on-Trent, Lanark, Abergavenny, Caernarfon, Shefford, Todmorden and Brentford.
Greeting cards are amazing little things.
Amanda Fergusson, GCA chief executive officer .
They nurture local independent businesses on the high streets we all love, support local charities and organisations in the communities we care for and help protect the Royal Mail delivery service we all treasure.
But most importantly, that small act of kindness creates a strong emotional connection between the person that sends a card and the person that receives it. There is simply nothing like seeing a hand-written envelope on the doormat with a message from someone who’s thinking of you.
The Greeting Card Association has launched a #Cardmitment campaign to encourage people make a commitment to send card this Christmas.
It’s supplying #Cardmitment knitted post box toppers to Britain’s kindest towns so local card retailers can spread the message about the mental health and wellbeing benefits of sending and receiving cards.
It is also asking politicians and other stakeholders to also make a commitment to keeping postal prices low and supporting the Royal Mail’s obligation to deliver to any address in the UK, six days a week.
The GCA continues to support the Royal Mail’s commitment to peg second class post prices for consumers – for just 75p, Brits can continue to send cards anywhere in the UK for less than a quarter of the price of a latte.
Further information:
Contact Nick Agarwal or Andrea Ross at the GCA press office: gca@arena-pr.com
GCA Members – to generate some publicity for your business with this release you can download a template and personalise it to your business here.
Editors’ Notes:
Lists were compiled by using the 2020 Office of National Statistics population dataset to give a card-sending quantity per capita.
Benefits to Mental Wellbeing
- Cards are tangible and tactile – They not only create an emotional connection between the sender and recipient but a physical one too, knowing the card has been touched by both parties. They can be held, kept and cherished. The words inside are a physical record and together with the imagery on a card, makes that message more memorable. When information is presented both verbally and visually, we are more likely to remember it.
- The benefits to mental wellbeing are numerous. The recipient can feel more socially connected and less alone. Reducing a sense of isolation through sending a card is an easy way to make a difference and show that you are thinking of that person.
- Knowing that someone has taken the time to choose a card sends a clear message that they want to keep in touch. They may also feel more worthwhile and valued, knowing that someone has put in the care and effort to send a card.
- For an anniversary or birthday, the sender will feel reassured that they haven’t been forgotten and that their relationship is appreciated. A sympathy card can communicate comfort and tenderness, a get well card can inspire hope and show how much you care, whereas a birthday or just because can convey humour, fun and happiness.
- It isn’t just the recipient that benefits psychologically from receiving a card, but the sender too. Research shows that being kind and generous leads to more positive mood and less anxiety[2]. The evidence certainly points to the fact that sending and receiving cards leads to greater happiness through keeping us emotionally connected.
The Psychology of Cards
- Illustrated greetings have been sent since the 15th century, with commercial card production starting in the 1860s. Since then, millions of messages have been sent from person to person all over the world. Every stage of selecting, sending and receiving cards has a psychological element. From choosing a card for someone special, to receiving a surprise in the post, nothing can replace the feelings that cards evoke.
- There are many reasons for sending a card but whatever the occasion, alongside the picture on the front, you are expressing an emotion and communicating a feeling to the recipient. This isn’t just in the words written in the card but the card itself and the whole process of sending a card.
- When a card is received, an emotional response is elicited. The limbic system plays a part in this stage, with its role in behaviour, emotion and emotional memory[3].
- Studies have found that the emotional response to a greetings card is greater than to a digital message or email.[4]
- A card is often easily recognised amongst the dull, typed envelopes containing bills or bank statements. This creates an immediate feeling of excitement, anticipation and surprise. Even if you are expecting cards on a birthday, you never know until you tear open the envelope what the card will look like or what is written inside. Some cards are so beautiful or significant that they can feel like receiving a gift.
[1] Source: Para 5.25 Ofcom Review of Second Class safeguard caps 2024. Original Source Jigsaw Residential Postal Tracker 2022, QG1_1)
[2] https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/kindness/kindness-matters-guide
[3] See GCA guest post by Dr Emma Lawrence, owner of Emma Lawrence Designs at https://www.thinkingofyouweek.cards/the-psychology-of-sending-greetings-cards/
[4] https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-athletes-way/201808/handwritten-thank-you-notes-have-surprising-consequences