Grimsby Letter Exchange

Find a pen-pal without sharing your home address

At Poppy's Paper Shop, inside People Make Grimsby, we're proud to be an official Letter-Keeper for The Sunday Letter Project.

What's a Letter-Keeper?

The Sunday Letter Project invites people to make a simple promise to themselves: to write one letter every week. Some people write to friends and family, some to their future selves, and some to a penpal they haven't met yet, which is where we come in.

Many people love the idea of a penpal but don't want to share their home address with a stranger. That's where Letter-Keepers come in. Independent shops and cafés across the world act as a kind of P.O. box for letter writers. You write shop to shop, and your address stays yours.

We're the Letter-Keeper for Grimsby. Your replies come to us, and we keep them safe until you pop in to collect them. It's completely free to take part; however, purchasing a Letter Exchange Starter Kit helps me cover membership fees and general admin related to being a Letter Keeper.

How it works

1. Pick up a Letter Exchange Starter Kit.
Each kit includes paper and an envelope for your introductory letter, everything you need to get started, and some writing prompts to spark ideas. Kits are available in the shop and online. You're also welcome to use your own paper, postcard, notecard or whatever you fancy writing on.

2. Write an introductory letter.
Tell your future penpal a little about yourself: your first name, roughly where you're from, what drew you to the project, what brings you joy, and how often you'd like to write. The little things, like the sky today, a book you're enjoying or the birds in your garden, are often the loveliest to read.

3. Address it to "Dear Penpal." or "Dear Friend"
Choose another shop or café from the Sunday Pals map. On the front of the envelope, write "Dear Pen-pal" or similar (Many letter writers address it as "Introductory Letter", which helps us separate them from replies) and the shop's address.

If you are local to Grimsby, on the back of the envelope, write your return address:

Return address:
Your first name, initials or a pseudonym
People Make Grimsby,

7, Baxtergate, Freshney Place
Grimsby
DN31 1QL

4. Pop it in the post.
Use a normal stamp. Your letter will arrive at the other shop, where it will be added to their introductory basket and wait for someone to choose it.

5. Or choose a letter from our basket.
As letters arrive from other shops, we'll place them in our introductory basket. Come in, have a browse, and reply to whoever catches your eye. You can write back to as many people as you like. The originals stay in the basket so others can find a pen-pal too, but you're welcome to take a photo of a letter to reply at home.

6. Collect your replies here.
When someone writes back, the letter will come to us with your first name on the envelope. We'll keep it safe behind the counter until you come in to collect it. If you would like me to drop you a text or email when letters arrive for you, pop me an email to: kat@lettersfrompoppy.co.uk, and make sure to let me know:

What name you are using (this can be a pseudonym, a nickname or your real name)
Either an email address or a mobile number

Local Letters

Not every letter needs to travel far. Look out for our purple postbox in the shop, where you can post a letter to someone in Grimsby; no stamp is needed. Sign with a first name and perhaps a few words about yourself, like "from a keen gardener." No surnames, addresses or contact details, please. It's a lovely way to connect neighbours and generations across the town.

Drop off and collect replies in the same manner as other letters (please don't put local replies into the purple postbox).

Meet your Letter-Keeper

Hello, I'm Kat, the maker behind Letters from Poppy and the person who'll be keeping your letters safe. I write and make handwritten letters and stationery for the moments when words are hard to find, and I believe a few honest lines on paper can mean more than a hundred messages on a screen. I became a Letter Keeper because I honestly believe that we all need to write more letters. Not just because they are awesome to receive, but because writing is such a therapeutic experience that we desperately need to revive to help us slow down in this fast-paced and crazy world.

Come and say hello. I'd love to hear what brought you to the project, and I'm always happy to help you choose your first words.

Visit us

Poppy's Paper Shop (part of Letters from Poppy), inside People Make Grimsby
Freshney Place, Grimsby, DN31 1QL
Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 4pm

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to write every Sunday?
Not at all. The Sunday pledge is a promise you make to yourself, and it's fine if life gets in the way. You only need to write to your pen-pal when it feels right. In your introductory letter, you can say how many letters you'd like to exchange and use that as a gentle guide.

Can I join without finding a pen-pal?
Absolutely. The project began as a personal weekly writing ritual, and it still works that way beautifully. Many people write letters they never send, such as reflections, letters to their future selves, or words for people they miss.

Is there a cost?
No. It's free to take part, free to sign the pledge, and free to collect your letters from us.

Can children take part?
The penpal network is for adults aged 18 and over.

How long will I wait for a reply?
This is an intentionally slow process. We suggest waiting about two weeks, then calling in no more than once a week to check. Please remember that we're only open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

What if I don't get a reply?
Sometimes letters wander, and sometimes they return. After at least a month, you can send one gentle follow-up. If there's still no reply, let that exchange rest and begin another. The act of writing is the heart of the project.

What if I want to stop writing?
That's completely fine. You can pause or stop whenever you like. You may want to write a short final note, or you can simply let it rest. It's meant to feel gentle and fun, not like a commitment.

Who posts the letters?
You do. Letter-Keepers are only collection and drop-off points. Please post your own letters with a normal stamp.

Can I write anonymously?
Yes. We'd love you to include a first name, pseudonym or initials so the exchange feels human, and a return address is optional. Some people prefer to let their letters travel without expecting a reply.

Are there any rules?
Just a few gentle ones. Please don't include social media handles, phone numbers or other personal contact details. If you'd like to keep in touch outside the project, swap email addresses. Keep letters kind and respectful, and please don't send money or goods of any significant value. We may occasionally read letters to check these guidelines are followed, though we're under no obligation to.

Can I use AI to help write my letter?
Please don't. This is a human project, and every letter in the exchange should be written by a person. Everything we make at Letters from Poppy is handwritten by us too. Using AI really does defeat the objective of this writing project.

What if a letter goes missing?
Sometimes letters are delayed or lost in the post. We can't be responsible for lost letters, but we'll happily offer you a fresh start by inviting you to choose a new letter from our introductory basket.

What about sensitive topics?
Letters can touch on tender or personal things, and that's part of what makes them special. We only ask that you write with care and kindness. If a letter feels too heavy or uncomfortable to pass on, we can quietly set it aside and let The Sunday Letter Project know.

A note of safety and good sense
Letters are sent at your own discretion. The Sunday Letter Project and participating shops act only as facilitators and aren't responsible for the content of letters or for any correspondence that happens outside the project.