A Hertfordshire charity is encouraging school children to 'write letters to the Queen' to mark the Platinum Jubilee this week.

Backed by the Queen's Hertfordshire representative, school children in Hitchin, Letchworth and Stevenage, are being asked to address letters to the 'Queen' which will actually be sent to care home residents.

YOPEY is a charity which runs a befriending scheme between young people and lonely care home residents, many of them living with dementia.

Tony Gearing MBE, founder of YOPEY, said: "Elderly people living in care homes are big fans of the Queen. They will love to be included in these imaginary conversations between schoolchildren and the monarch."

Pupils' letters may contain stories from their life that may share similarities with the Queen's. For example, they may write about a holiday they took to a commonwealth country.

"Even people living with dementia may not have forgotten older events from the Queen's 70-year reign such as her coronation. Having the young people's letters read to them will help them to remember," added Tony.

During the pandemic, YOPEY grew from working with a dozen care homes in the East of England to supporting 2,000 care homes nationwide.

The charity will choose about 20 letters to be sent to the Queen, which may get a reply as they will be forwarded to Her Majesty's Private Secretary by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, who represents the Queen in the county.

Robert Voss CBE, a Patron of YOPEY, said: "What a wonderful idea to write a letter to The Queen about your life and Her Majesty’s very long and full life. I know that she will be delighted to read some of these letters with great interest.

“I think she will be very interested in your life and what you do. I would encourage you all to write to her and I will ensure that she gets to see the best letters."

To take part, children should write a letter on a single side of paper that can be scanned or photographed, and emailed hello@yopey.org. Schools with children that take part will be awarded certificates.

As Her Majesty celebrates her record-breaking reign we have delved into our archives to create a tribute to her life and 70 years of service.

Filled with photos and history, Our Queen's Platinum Reign is a magazine we hope readers will treasure for years to come. This special souvenir is available for £9.99 online and in-store.

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