A COMMUNITY champion in Rubery is celebrating after helping to implement new ‘Chatty Benches’ in the town for residents and visitors.
The benches outside Co-op on New Road – a project from the town’s NewStarts community builder Angela – are designed to encourage conversation between members of the public.
The concept behind Chatty Benches is straightforward – existing or newly installed benches are marked with signs indicating that those seated are open to chatting with others.
This creates opportunities for spontaneous conversations, helping to break down barriers and foster a sense of belonging.
The benches in Rubery have been known by the community as ‘The Chatty Benches’ for a few years, but never officially named as such until housing association Anchor helped provide signature plaques to add to them.
Anchor have also added the benches to their Chatty Bench map. To mark the occassion, Angela joined members of the community on the benches for a nice morning chat.
Angela said: “A big part of my role is just sitting and listening to residents wonderful ideas and then working together to support those ideas. The ‘Chatty Bench’ was one of those ideas and now, here it is.
“A simple little chat can make a persons day so much better, in some cases that may be the only chat they have that day.
“Officially launching our benches was a lovely step forward to combating loneliness and build a stronger connected community.
“It was great to see Councillor Adrian Kriss stop by for a breather and chat to community members and hear all about our benches, our new plaques and join in the conversations.”
The benches are becoming more popular in the UK and follow an idea adopted by various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Switzerland and Ukraine.
Other local authorities in Worcestershire have implemented similar benches, including those installed by Malvern Town Council and Catshill and North Marlbrook Parish Council.
