A young girl whose birthday was scuppered by coronavirus was gobsmacked when she received a personal letter from Boris Johnson, her ‘teary’ mother has revealed.
Josephine Booth, seven, tugged on the nation’s heartstrings when her message to the Prime Minister explaining how her celebrations had twice been cancelled went viral.
Despite, the dismay at having her Go Ape party in Southampton scrapped because of tough new distancing measures, the child said she ‘didn’t mind because she wanted everyone to be ok’.
The grown-up and selfless approach advocated by Josephine prompted Mr Johnson to take time to pen a personal reply, which left the little girl stunned.
Mother Phillipa Booth, 34, said she was bursting with pride that her daughter had been praised by the Prime Minister in a completely unexpected response.
Josephine Booth (right) whose seventh birthday was scuppered by coronavirus was gobsmacked when she received a personal letter from Boris Johnson, her ‘teary’ mother Philippa, 34, (left) has revealed
Josephine tugged on the nation’s heartstrings when her message to the Prime Minister explaining how her celebrations had twice been cancelled went viral
‘We are thrilled – I have even been a bit teary. When we told Josephine her jaw dropped, it was amazing,’ she told the Sunday Mirror.
‘We weren’t expecting anything so to have a response so quickly at a time like this really brightens things up and makes it a bit less overwhelming.’
Ms Booth, from Stubbington, Hampshire, said that in spite of her young age, Josephine was incredibly understanding.
The full-time mother described how initial disappointment quickly evaporated as her daughter realised the gravity of the UK’s accelerating health emergency.
She said: ‘It’s the kind of thing that is quite upsetting for a seven-year-old.
‘But there were no tears at all, just a look of disappointment which actually turned into an understanding sense of, ‘Yes, we have to do this for our world’.’
The grown-up and selfless approach advocated by Josephine prompted Mr Johnson to take time to pen a personal reply, which left the little girl stunned
Instead of racing around the Go Ape climbing equipment with her friends, Josephine enjoyed a day of fun and games at home, while opening presents with aptly included a writing set.
The schoolgirl’s letter to Downing Street was published online yesterday, and read: ‘I am staying at home because you asked us to.
‘I think mummy and daddy might have to cancel my party but I don’t mind because everybody to be ok.
‘Please keep working hard to keep us all well.’
It ended with a signed blue heart, a ‘wash hands’ reminder and even a cheeky question – ‘Are you remembering to wash your hands?’
To her amazement, the PM inked a personal response back on official Number 10-embossed paper.
Josephine, aged seven, wrote a touching letter to the Prime Minister about the coronavirus epidemic
Mr Johnson wrote: ‘Happy birthday! I am glad to hear you are staying at home, though I am sorry to hear about your party’.
He added: ‘We have all got to do our bit to protect the NHS and save lives, and that is exactly what you are doing, so well done!
‘You are setting a great example. We are working round the clock to keep people safe, and if we work together we can send coronavirus packing. And once we have done that you can DEFINITELY have a party with your friends!’
The PM, whose fiancee Carrie Symonds is expecting a baby in the summer, added: ‘In answer to your question – I’m regularly washing my hands with soap and water for 20 seconds: the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice!’
The Prime Minister tweeted the image of his letter, with the caption: ‘Josephine sets a great example to us all by postponing her birthday party until we have sent coronavirus packing.
‘Together we can beat this. In the meantime let’s all wish her happy birthday (twice) whilst washing our hands’.
When the PM tweeted the letters to He added the hashtags#BelikeJosephine and #StayHomeSaveLives.