BRITAIN’S loneliest schoolboy has already received more than 2,000 Christmas cards from around the world.
10-year-old Aron Anderson, from Da Skerries, Shetland, is the only pupil left at his school after older students moved on to Lerwick Academy earlier this year.
He has no children to play with at breaktimes, his best friends are a dog, some ducks and a flock of sheep and the other kids only come home at weekends.
But cards have been flooding in at the rate of 300 a day – some from as far afield as Japan and Canada – since Aron’s plight was revealed. He and his mother are spending up to five hours a night working through the mail, which is stored in eight sacks.
One kind-hearted soul sent the boy a cheque for 25 Euros (£18), even though Aron does not have a bank account. Others sent presents, including DVDs and sweets.
Aron and his mother, Denise, spent five hours one evening working through the cards – and hardly made a dent in the pile.
Denise, who works on the Out Skerries Marina, said: “Every few days we receive more and more, it’s been quite overwhelming.
“We knew to expect some cards but Aron has also been sent presents such as a build-your-own volcano, socks, DVD’s and sweets.
“People from around the world have even sent him money – yesterday he got a cheque for 25 Euros from France.
“He’s quite spoiled – he doesn’t even have a bank account yet.”
The youngster has been spending his evenings working through the festive cards with his mum.
She added: “I’m currently keeping everything in eight huge bags in the living room.
“People have written him really long letters and he has had countless pen-pal requests. It will be impossible to reply to all of them.
“We don’t have enough room to put them all up in the house but we’re considering taking them down to the village hall and putting them up there.
“It’s just beautiful what everyone has done.”
The idea to send Aron Christmas cards came from kind-hearted Reddit user Ross McMahon, who heard about the youngster’s plight and decided to rally the online community to give him a festive season to remember.
Earlier this month he wrote: “Last week, I was moved by the news story of ‘Britain’s loneliest schoolboy’.
“At the time, I said we should do something to make him feel less lonely. I thought it would be very nice if we all sent him some Christmas cards.
“I really want him to get a big massive smile on his face, so please, write a wee message in the card to show your support too!
“I hope you do me proud and send some nice festive cheer.”
He has since posted an update to the Reddit community, which reads: “Thank you so much to everybody who took part, you’re all minted.
“Merry Christmas lads and lassies, you’ve been gid!”
