The letter that created friendship between France and Hawke’s Bay

Pen pals Christelle Champagne and Paula Burden with the saved stamps. Photo / Paul Taylor

In 1962, 9-year-old Brian Birks from Te Awa School wrote a letter on a school trip to Brookfield Orchard in Hawke’s Bay, sealed it and put it in an apple bin that was exported to France.

He wrote the letter in the hope that someone would reply, and that letter sparked a friendship that has spanned two countries, two families and lots of ink and paper.

Paula Burden is the niece of Brian Birks whose letter was picked up by Christelle Champagne’s grandfather in Limay, about 50km from Paris, and given to her mother Anne-Marie Ghislain.

Brian and Anne-Marie wrote letters back and forth before Burden’s grandmother decided it was inappropriate for them to keep writing to each other.

Anne-Marie gave the letters to Burden’s mother Jude Williams who carried on the letter writing.

The two women wrote to each other and lost touch when Jude finished high school and was married.

Champagne went on to learn English at school and in a twist of fate was given the letters and the address for the Hawke’s Bay family from her grandmother who had stored them in the attic.

Brian Birks' first letter which was sent in the apple bin exported to France. Photo / Paula Birks

“She knew I loved English. She gave me the letters from our mothers and said it is up to you [if you write] and I didn’t know if I would have an answer,” Champagne said.

The two women established their pen pal relationship when they were 9 and 12 years old and would write back and forth.

“I used to write and it would take six weeks for my letter to get there. Christelle would write and hers would come faster ‘cause she would send hers through air mail,” Burden said.

They spoke of their anticipation of the letters’ arrival, and how they would rip into the envelopes and write back immediately.

“Her letter would arrive, I would read it and be straight into the bedroom and start writing in return,” Burden said.

The letters written in English contained stories of boys, fashion and music that were popular at the time including Duran Duran, and A-ha.

“She wrote to me one time and spoke to me about a boy at school who had shoes and was running so fast,” Champagne said.

The pair kept the letters, and the stamps and received pleasure looking back on their lives - forever documented.

Paula Burden has kept the old letters sent to French pen pals.

Despite losing touch, the pair were able to get in contact again after they both were married, had children and divorced.

They had always said they would meet before they were 50 and Burden travelled to France in 2019 to meet Champagne.

Now Champagne is in New Zealand on holiday and is awaiting the arrival of her daughter who will stay on with Burden and travel the country.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.