Appeal leads to hundreds of Christmas cards for Sunderland pensioner

Wyn Davison was thrilled when so many people took the time to post her a Christmas card after her nephew put out an appeal.

Ron Clark came up with the idea of appealing for people to send cards to his aunt in Washington because she no longer gets out of her home much.

He posted it through social media and also contacted the Echo.

After Wyn’s story appeared in the paper she was innundated with cards from people who remembered her from right across Wearside and also scores of cards from well-wishers who wanted to make her Christmas an extra special one.

Ron said: “She got 400 cards, not just from Sunderland, but from all over the country.

“She was over the moon with all the cards and said she is really happy with what she got.”

Wyn even got cards from as far away as New Zealand and Australia from well wishers who has heard her story.

Ron, 75, said: “After it appeared in the paper she got loads of cards, she was absolutely thrilled about it. She had a great Christmas.

“It was fantastic to see that so many people had taken the time to send one to her and we would like to thank everyone for their support.”

He said Wyn was particularly pleased with one of the cards which came from a family she used to be friendly with and hadn’t been in touch with for at least 30 years.

Ron said: “It is great, I have been in touch with them and they are going to visit her and she is thrilled about that.”

The idea for the appeal for Christmas cards came because Ron wanted to do something nice for his aunt, saying she has spent most of her life helping others.

Wyn, who is Sunderland born and bred, is a veteran, having served with the Women’s Royal Air Force.

She went on to work in a cake shop in Southwick and was well known to hundreds of people and she also did a lot of charity work during her time there.

Even after she retired Wyn continued to help others by delivering meals on wheels to elderly people, even though some were younger than her, and did this until she was well into her 80s.

After that she still went out collecting for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.