Elderly residents at two care homes near Burton have been inundated with postcards from holidaymakers across the world thanks to a new social media initiative to fight loneliness.

Bretby's Cedar Court Dementia Care Home and Cedar Court Nursing Home, part of Your Health Ltd, posted the initial calls for postcards on Facebook on July 13. It has since been viewed over 30,000 times, with more than 500 shares and likes.

Just a week later, the residents received 50 postcards from as far away as Cyprus, with pledges to send coming from Hong Kong, Australia and America.

It has been launched as a #postcardsofkindness campaign by care home owners Your Health Ltd, whose headquarters is based in Swadlincote.

One of the residents at Cedar Court with his postcards

Due to the success of the appeal, another eight homes under the Your Health umbrella hope to receive postcards, including Stapenhill's Rider House nursing home, in Stapenhill Road, Burton.

Louise Baker, Your Healthcare Ltd’s marketing assistant, said of the success: “This initiative means so much for our residents, offering engagement and inspiration as well as a moment to remember happy holidays.

"There's a real risk of adults at a certain stage in life becoming isolated and lonely, regardless of how many people are around. Your wonderful postcards will enable us to show that our residents aren't alone, and that they're still so valued."

She added: "We want to inspire our residents to remember happy childhoods spent beside the sea, or times when they might have taken their own children on a foreign holiday or UK break, perhaps.

“Postcards have always been a huge part of the Great British summer holiday, and we thought it would be lovely if people could send our residents postcards to stimulate conversation, inspire memories and provide entertainment. Postcards are something familiar that our residents have no doubt sent themselves at some time, and they’re relatively easy and cheap to source from just about any location."

Residents can read their latest mail from the comfort of the home's deckchairs and beach

Residents at Cedar Court Dementia Care Home and Nursing Home, in Bretby, have already been inundated with postcards, including some sent from France, Cornwall, Blackpool and the Lake District.

Mrs Baker added that residents had received 50 postcards already, with pictures of people and animals enjoying themselves. The favourite so far is a series from some dogs called Fernie and Dooby who update the residents with their adventures every other day.

Just some of the postcards sent to residents at Cedar Court

She said: "Our original post now has 31,000 views and 352 shares, and someone has shared it on Twitter and got 128 retweets. There are lots of calls for this to be done around the country; local groups and people sending their local care homes postcards so it’s become a little big bigger than just our residents getting postcards."

The original post said: "Please share! We're appealing for postcards for our residents, regardless of how far you're travelling this summer. Our theme this month is holidays and childhood nostalgia, and we know they'd love to hear about your adventures from far and wide.

"You can send your postcard, addressed to 'The Residents' to: Cedar Court Care Home, Bretby Park, Bretby, South Derbyshire, DE15 OQX #postcards #holidays #sendmail"

Postcards can be sent to:

Cedar Court Care Home, Bretby Park, Bretby, South Derbyshire, DE15 OQX

Rider House Nursing Home, Stapenhill Road, Burton on Trent, DE15 9AE.

Redmount Residential Home, 21 Old Totnes Road, Buckfastleigh, Devon, TQ11 0BY

Summer Fields Care Home, 52-58 Rock Lane West, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead CH42 4PA.

Willowdale Care Home, 112 Chester Road, Buckley CH7 3AH.

Westwood House Residential Home, 35 Tamworth Road, Ashby-de-la-Zouch LE65 2PW.

The Grange and Elm Court, 80 Grange Lane, Cundy Cross, Barnsley S71 5QQ.

Leaholme Residential Home, 8 Springfield Road, Stoney Gate, Leicester LE2 3BA

Langwith Lodge Residential Home, The Park, Nether Langwith, near Mansfield NG20 9ES.