The balloon, sent by the five-year-old, landed in Gove's garden
When four-year-old Eddie Nicholls took part in a balloon race at school, he was hoping he would get a response.
He did - from Education Secretary Michael Gove, who replied after the balloon landed outside his department.
Eddie was thrilled, although his father, Henry, said the fact it was from Gove had rather "passed him by".
Gove's letter, dated March 30, arrived weeks after Eddie - now five - and his classmates at Halstow Primary School in Greenwich, south-east London, sent their balloons into the skies.
It read: "Thank you for your letter, which landed right outside my office, the Department for Education, here in Westminster today.
"The balloon must have floated all the way here from your school in Greenwich: right over the Thames, and past the London Eye, over Parliament, and maybe by the Tower of London. I imagine your classmates let go many other letters by balloon. I wonder who else will write back?
"I enjoyed reading that you like Star Wars, I like those films too. My children also like fun films, they have recently watched Despicable Me.
"Thank you again for your letter. It was a delight to receive post in such an unusual way."
Nicholls, 39, said his son got the letter after returning from his Easter holidays.
He said: "We didn't know he had sent the balloon; the first we heard about it was the letter which came home in his bag. Some of the other children got replies over the Easter holidays but this one was rather unexpected.
"All the children wrote messages but I don't know exactly what his message said other than it mentioned Star Wars and asked for the person to write back."
He added: "Eddie was four when he wrote the letter so it is pretty impressive. He was very pleased to get a reply at all, that was the main thing. Who the reply was from has kind of passed him by."
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When four-year-old Eddie Nicholls took part in a balloon race at school, he was hoping he would get a response.
He did - from Education Secretary Michael Gove, who replied after the balloon landed ...
When four-year-old Eddie Nicholls took part in a balloon race at school, he was hoping he would get a response.
He did - from Education Secretary Michael Gove, who replied after the balloon landed ...
did not think ministers had time for things like this too much to sory out from the last government if you believe the comments below WELL DONE that man for takiong the time to reply and putting a smile on the little uns face
courier2you: did not think ministers had time for things like this
Spoken with much wisdom, you are absolutely correct in what you say, and like you, I agree, he has a mamouth task ahead of him.
You know, what I find so hypocritical is that most of the Shadow Cabinet had the benefit of public and grammar schools, so cannot understand how they failed to see where they went wrong, they must be into denial! Just to put the record straight, I do not ardently support any of the main parties at the moment, we shall see what happens going into the next election.
Best wishes to you!
Southern_law_girl: Spoken with much wisdom, you are absolutely correct in what
Thanks agree with you too re shadow cabinet, I was at school 60's/70's we were treated like mice in labs as they experimented on us, end of day relied on common sense, and spell check, to see me through! Now have taken early retirement and am truly happy, if poor!
lallywendy: Thanks agree with you too re shadow cabinet, I was
As a merchant seaman, we used to release empty bottles into the Pacific ocean with a message inside and the message was always the same "Help......send more gin"
Blindstu: As a merchant seaman, we used to release empty bottles
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Posted: 18/04/2012 21:31 Updated: 19/04/2012 10:28