Why I started Paddy Pigeon

I love the look on a child's face when they open the letterbox and find a letter sitting there quietly, waiting for them. You can watch it change from wondering, to curious, and then burst into excitement when they realise their name is on the envelope, all within a couple of seconds.

And no matter how many letters they receive, the feeling is always the same.

That's why I created Paddy Pigeon: in the hope of bringing the magic of the letterbox back to childhood. It's a small moment, but it stays with them for life.

It began with my mum.

My mum loved my children, but she lived far away.

We could call. We could send photos. We could video chat. But sometimes, after “How was your day?”, there wasn’t much else to talk about.

I wanted to give them something that could start a conversation: something my children could open, read, wonder about, and then share with her.

That’s where Paddy Pigeon began. A letter arriving in the letterbox, written just for a child, giving them something to look forward to and something to talk about with the people they love.

Mum passed away last year. What I remember most isn’t the calls. It’s the moments they shared something with her. Because the letter isn’t really the important part. It’s what the letter gives you to share.