Bristol Uni student who helped send over 100 Christmas cards to elderly wins award

‘Gathering 150 personalised messages was tricky with Covid restrictions, but the overwhelmingly positive response from students was incredibly heart-warming’


A Bristol Uni student has received an Outstanding Reward for her work to fight loneliness in a Bristol care home.

Third year student, Jade Bruce, organised the initiative for over 100 Bristol Uni students to handwrite personalised Christmas cards to the elderly at St Monica’s Trust in Westbury-on-Trym.

Jade wanted to connect “two isolated demographics, older and younger people” and build stronger bonds between them.

During her second year, Jade, who studies Cellular and Molecular Medicine, volunteered for Link Ages, a project that reduces isolation among older people.

“While helping older people understand how to use technology I realised just how many barriers they can face when simply wanting to connect with others”, said Jade

This year, she has moved up to become the project coordinator at Link Ages, where she had the idea to send Christmas cards.

“Many older people spend Christmas alone, something made far worse by the pandemic,” she explained. “Gathering 150 personalised messages was tricky with Covid restrictions, but the overwhelmingly positive response from students was incredibly heart-warming.

“It was great to connect two isolated demographics, older and younger people, at such a difficult time”.

The award is organised by the Bristol Uni Careers Service, who said:  “Although more than 1,000 people were involved in the PLUS Awards, the kindness in Jade’s Christmas card campaign really stood out”.

Jade graduates this summer and is going on to study Medicine at King’s College London next year.

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