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Reddit users from around the world show Christmas love for Britain's loneliest boy

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By Tony Connelly | Sports Marketing Reporter

December 2, 2015 | 2 min read

The strong sense of community is one of Reddit’s most enduring aspects and the social media platform illustrated this defining trait after its users from around the world agreed to send a lonely school boy Christmas cards.

The social network's users took pity on 10 year-old Aron Anderson, from the Shetland Island of Bruray in the Out Skerries, after learning that he was the only pupil left at his primary school.

Anderson’s fellow pupils and friends left the island to start high school and only return at the weekends.

Aron’s mother, Denise, said that this was going to be “his first winter as the only pupil, so it’s hard to tell how it will be for him. It would be lovely to have some more families here".

Following a news story by The Times last month in which Anderson confined that he found it “quite weird” being on his own, a fellow Scot, posted a plea on the Scotland sub-reddit calling on the community to send him pupil festive cheer.

Reddit responded with hundreds of users as far afield as the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand announcing that Anderson could expect a Christmas card from them.

Ross McMahon initiated the drive on Reddit with a post saying “I really want him to get a big massive smile on his face, so please, write a wee message in the card to show your support too".

The Shetland Island of Bruray in the Out Skerries has a population of just 65 people.

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