A new study released today has highlighted tumbling interest in writing amongst teenagers, sparking concerns for the future of handwriting across the UK.
The research has revealed that over half (69%) of 13-19 year olds in Manchester have never written a thank you letter, 89% have not written a love letter and a third (30%) have never even written a birthday or Christmas card.
Despite the alarming statistics showing that youngsters are increasingly turning their backs on pen and paper in all areas of life, most of those polled confessed that their reliance on text messages and instant messaging has a negative impact. Six in 10 (60%) in Manchester admit texting and instant messages are detrimental to their writing, with 15% admitting it makes their spelling worse.
What’s more, many believe handwritten communications are more personal and heartfelt. Half (48%) say receiving a handwritten letter would mean much more to them than an electronic equivalent, and 46% confess that any relative receiving a handwritten note from them would probably be delighted as they’d consider it more thoughtful – highlighting that those polled still understand how meaningful handwritten communications are.
Jonathan Skyrme, General Manager at BIC UK & ROI, said: “Handwriting is one of the most creative outlets we have and should be given the same importance as other art forms such as sketching, painting or photography. We need to be doing more to encourage youngsters to put pen to paper, which is exactly why we’ve launched our #JustWrite campaign in partnership with Melanie Harwood at Start-Bee.”
Launching on 29th October with a series of events across the UK, BIC’s #JustWrite campaign aims to encourage people of all ages to pick up a pen and start writing.
