Special delivery: Postman delivers letter to Winnipeg home from the Galapagos Islands

People around the world are getting surprise visits from a postman delivering messages all the way from the Galapagos Islands.

It's part of an island tradition started in 1793.

People write postcards and leave them in a barrel for another person to hand deliver to the recipient. Often it’s someone who lives close to you, but not always.

London resident Jonny Beardmore has decided to personally deliver 50 of the postcards to cities in all seven continents.

"I was looking for a new big adventure," said Beardmore. "And I thought if I could grab a whole bunch of letters and deliver them around the world, I’d get these amazing experiences, I’d get to meet a lot of people, and I get to try and reconnect with the world a little bit."

In March, Beardmore set out on a journey around the world to deliver them. He calls it the Galapagos Postman Challenge.

The project has taken him to many exotic locations, including Antarctica, Panama, and on Thursday, Winnipeg.

However, the quest took a bit of a turn.

He was looking for someone named Mandy, who he learned is sadly not in Winnipeg. She is now in B.C., a province Beardmore just left.

This isn't his first tough delivery.

"I didn't have a clear address," Beardmore remembers. "And it was just addressed to Steve in San Pedro, Belize, so I turned up on the island not knowing how I was going to find him."

But with some detective work, the power of social media, and help from locals - he found him.

It's more than just a fun adventure for Beardmore.

He is using this quest to raise awareness and funds for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The illness claimed his father's life and affects hundreds of thousands around the world.

"About one thousand people, just over, will be diagnosed each year," said Tammy Moore, the CEO of the ALS Society of Canada. "And unfortunately, due to the rapid progression, most people live within two to five years, and so that means that for pretty much every person diagnosed, somebody else is passing away from this disease."

"Their loss of and ability to talk and mobility is a major factor that affects them," said Beardmore. "And this whole challenge involves mobility and talking, so I'm trying to shine a little light on that!"

Shining a light, one letter at a time, and that will include the Winnipeg letter.

Mandy's parents are in Winnipeg.

Beardmore was able to give them the postcard and was able to speak with Mandy by video. After that, it was off to the next city to deliver another postcard.

You can follow along with every step of his journey. Beardmore is posting on Instagram and he also has a website tracking the countries he has already been to.

Jonny Beardmore poses with Mandy's parents on June 23, 2024 after hand-delivering the postcard intended for their daughter. (Jonny Beardmore)