Harvey’s 16th Birthday Celebrations
My son Harvey was turning sixteen this year, and I wanted to do something special. I got thinking that over lockdown we sent postcards and letters to his friends, he loved having some returned and I remembered his love for birthday cards, each birthday they would hang around our house and we would read them aloud. So, I had an idea for a birthday card appeal.
Harvey loves telly programmes, mostly cartoons but has lots of favourites, mostly silly, naughty or just funny. He has an outgoing personality and a very social young lad. He loves a party or any social gathering. Which has been sadly become impossible lately due to COVID.
On the 1st of August I wrote a post on Facebook, saying it was Harvey’s 16th on the 31st August and he would be over the moon if you could send him a birthday card. Then to our shock each day afterwards we received birthday cards for him in the post, which we kept in a pile, which grew and grew.
The morning of his birthday the four of us spent ages and ages opening them, laughing at the pictures. Harvey had some from different states in America, England, Scotland and from here in Wales.
Our living room has been a sea of cards, which has honestly been so lovely. Friends have been so kind by helping and giving cards. This kindness is genuinely appreciated as it approaches the shaken anniversary. Which year after year this brings a new mix of emotional trauma, more so with milestone birthdays.
Harveys birthday card appeal was amazing, he was so lucky and was given 156 birthday cards. 18th birthday is the next big one, hopefully we can have the biggest party ever!
Sarah and Harvey
“ICON has been a positive way of spreading awareness”
Harvey enjoying his 16th birthday celebrations