Letters to Heaven Postboxes

The other day I was at Mansfield and District Crematorium and as it was such a lovely day, I decided to have a little walk around the grounds. I spotted their "Letters to Heaven" postbox.

I think these are such a lovely idea. The first one was installed at Gedling Crematorium and was the idea of 9 year old Matilda Handy. She wanted to send letters to her grandparents who had both passed away. She said that writing the letters had helped her grieve and express her feelings in a different way.

The postbox was was immediately popular and hundreds of letters were posted in it. They've now been rolled out to crematoriums, memorial parks and even in some public spaces all over the country.

Writing down your feelings can be really therapeutic and can help you process your emotions. People might write messages like:

Personal updates (“I got the job, just like you said I would.”)
Expressions of love or longing (“I miss you every day.”)
Apologies or unfinished conversations
Special messages on birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays

Writing down your feelings can help in the following ways:

💬 1. Emotional Release

Grief often brings a swirl of emotions—sadness, anger, confusion, guilt. Writing provides a safe, private outlet to release those emotions without judgment. Getting them out of your head and onto paper can bring a sense of relief.

🧠 2. Makes the Intangible Tangible

Grief can feel overwhelming because it’s so abstract. Writing forces you to name what you're feeling, which makes those feelings more manageable. It's like giving shape to the chaos.

🔍 3. Helps You Make Sense of Things

When you're grieving, your thoughts can feel scattered. Writing helps you process what's happened, reflect on memories, and understand the impact of your loss more clearly. It’s a way to connect the dots emotionally and mentally.

🕰️ 4. Tracks Your Healing Over Time

Journaling creates a record. You might look back weeks or months later and realize you've made progress you didn’t notice in the moment. That can be reassuring when it feels like you’re stuck.

🤝 5. Encourages Self-Compassion

Sometimes we’re hardest on ourselves during grief—judging how we’re coping or what we “should” feel. Writing can help you be more kind and honest with yourself, especially if you write like you’re talking to a friend.

✨ 6. Keeps a Connection

If you've lost someone, writing to them or about them can feel like a continuing bond. Whether it's letters, memories, or even conversations, it can help keep their presence alive in a comforting way.

These postboxes don’t send mail in the traditional sense—they’re more like emotional time capsules. Some are part of art installations or grief support projects, while others are started by individuals or communities just trying to create a meaningful place to connect.