The GCA’s initiative, designed to encourage the public to send greeting cards, starts on Monday, September 15 – and retailers up and down the country are all set with some special activities to make the most of the week
Royal Mail is continuing its support this year with a special postmark that will feature on all stamped mail during Thinking of You Week 2025, which runs from September 15-21.
You could follow the example of award-winning Stoke Newington card shop and GCA member Earlybird, which teamed up with a local primary school last year for a Thinking of You Week-inspired card designing competition.
Earlybird asked the students to design a card that would make someone happy. They then displayed the designs in their shop window for customers to vote for their favourite.
“We had nearly 100 entries,” said shop co-owner Heidi Early. “It was brilliant seeing all the friends and families of those that entered as well as our regular customers voting for their favourite!”
The design that was voted as the customer’s top choice was a lovely bold yellow design by a young boy named Adrian, a Ukrainian refugee now living in London with his mum.
Windles Printers printed the card for free so all the profits go to Kids, a charity that Adrian chose that supports disabled children in Hackney.
Heidi has created a simple guide on how to run a similar project.
Meanwhile, Aga Marsden of Highworth Emporium has teamed up with two local schools, where pupils will write cards filled with uplifting messages. These will be delivered to: Care homes, nursing homes; a hospice; The Forget Me Not group, and elderly residents in the area.
Highworth Emporium will also host a “Write a Card, Deliver a Smile” station in-store, inviting customers to join in and write their own messages of kindness.
Find more inspiration at www.gca.cards/send-a-smile-deliver-a-card-thinking-of-you-week-2025
