Fife pensioner receives over 1,000 Christmas cards from around the world

Nancy Letham, 92, usually receives only four cards as her friends have gotten older and died.

After an online appeal posted on October 25, Nancy has received around 50 cards a day, including from schoolchildren in Portugal, who drew pictures for her.

Granddaughter Leo Sheppard, 44, posted the appeal expecting to receive around 40 cards from neighbours in Kelty, Fife, where the family live.

Mum-of-seven Nancy, who has 17 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and ten great-great-grandchildren, has also received chocolates, flowers and Christmas ornaments.

Nancy said: “I'm trying to climb the mountain of cards here. I'm shocked because I didn't expect that.

“There are some beautiful cards and they're from all over the world. It's restored my faith in human nature.”

Mum-of-one Leo said: “She only usually gets about four cards because all her pals are passing away. It's a shame.

“I thought I'd reach out to the locals in the village and get an extra 30 or 40 cards, but it's gone viral and she's got hundreds from all over the world, like New Zealand, India, America, Australia, Canada, Italy, France and Spain.”

Nancy began receiving her first cards through the post at the end of November and has been inundated since then.

Full-time carer Leo opens and reads them out to Nancy, as she's partially blind.

Leo added: “I drop by daily and read them out to her, it's quite time consuming but I don't mind. She's also had flowers, Christmas ornaments and chocolates.

“Kids from a school in Portugal all drew Christmas pictures for her. It's amazing. There's still 200 sitting that we need to get through. There's at least 1,200 and they're still coming in by the pile load.

“It's just really nice to see how many people have taken the time. You can barely see her walls because they're just everywhere.

“It's not just cards, people are writing letters and letting her know about their lives and struggles. It's letting my gran know that she's not alone in the world."

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