Children send ‘smile’ to dad they have not seen since March

A school project has helped children send a message to the father they have not seen since March.

People with the send a smile messages they have sent to loved ones as part of school project. Picture: Town Close School - Credit: Town Close School

Town Close School in Norwich has been encouraging people to ‘send a smile’ to loved ones who they are not able to see at the moment, or to anyone, they feel, may be in need of a smile.

The initiative, devised by the Ipswich Road school’s head of nursery, Nichola Hampsheir, came about to help one of her nursery children reach out to her father Gary who has been working in Saudi Arabia throughout the lockdown.

MORE: Colourful finale for school games replaced by virtual golf and fishingMrs Hampsheir said: “Florence and her brother Archie have not seen their daddy since March 2 and we wanted to do something to help them send their love to him.

“There are so many people who are not able to see their loved ones at this time for a number of reasons – ‘sending a smile’ seemed a lovely thing to do to reach out to each other and let those we love know that we’re thinking of them’.”

So far recipients of the children’s smiles have been family, friends and teachers - many of the people that they haven’t been able to see in person since the start of the lockdown.

The children hope to spread more smiles. To join in email teamtownclose@townclose.com for your own ‘send a smile’ template.