From New Zealand to Melksham – local woman shares tale of 50-year pen pal friendship

A LOCAL woman has been celebrating 50 years of friendship with her pen pal from New Zealand, who recently came to visit the town. 

Rita Saunders started writing letters to Ross Sanson from New Zealand in the 1970s, when she took part in an International Pen Pal scheme at Chippenham School. 

“We used to just send letters a handful of times a year because international post being what it was and it was quite a thrill to get letters at that time,” says Rita. “We correspond mostly via email these days and having met each other on a number of occasions now, there’s much more that we can chat about. We chat as and when something crops up, two or three times a month usually. 

“We started chatting at senior school aged 16 or 17. I had several pen friends but they went by the wayside but Ross and I kept writing for all these years. We write about family, friends, the weather, the countries and cultures that we come from, local and world news, to mention just a few topics.” 

Rita and Ross wrote to one another for 30 years before they first physically met in 2006, when Ross came to Melksham. Rita says they had never spoken on the phone and still continue to only communicate via letters and email today, “It was interesting to meet for the first time, as you have a certain picture in your mind of what a person is like. We don’t speak on the phone, we just write normally and it was really interesting and having met, you then find there’s so much more to write about, everyday things. 

“The first time Ross visited, he came on his own and he’s been four times altogether now with his wife, Jude, who is lovely. He has a great interest in what’s going on in the town. His favourite place to visit in Melksham is Newman’s the butchers in town. He is a lover of pies and pasties, so Newmans is now internationally famous because Ross loves his pies! 

“An interesting comment he made during his visit was about the amount of traffic in the town which he said was appalling and is just unheard of in New Zealand. 

“I went over to New Zealand to see Ross in 2009, with my brother and was treated to a lovely tour of South Island. It was beautiful. There is a possibility that I might go over to New Zealand again next year. I would love to go again. 

“Back 50 years ago when we were writing, it never ceased to amaze me that I was in touch with somebody across the world. But now you can chat or play a game with someone online; young people are so much more connected and good for them.”