A SEAT in Howard Palmer Gardens has been officially launched as a Hello Bench.
At an event attended by Wokingham MP Clive Jones, and Wokingham Town Mayor Cllr Louise Timlin, Louise cut the ribbon and spoke about her hopes for the initiative designed to enhance community connections.
She said: “This is a very special bench, and a fabulous initiative.
“Who of us hasn’t felt lonely or isolated at some point, when you don’t really know where to go or who to turn to?
“It can be really hard to reach out, but this bench is a really simple way to connect with people.
“So if you see anyone sitting here, please make sure you come and sit down next to them and say hello.
“There’s so much to learn and gain from just sitting down and chatting with someone, and who knows, we might make a new friend.”
The Hello Bench offers anyone feeling a bit overwhelmed or isolated, a place to sit in a peaceful place.
And because it’s a bench that invites company, it encourages someone else to come and sit beside them.
Debs Morrison, CEO of CLASP Wokingham, a charity run by and for people with learning disabilities, said: “We’ve wanted to create a safe space bench for a long time.
“This is a park where our members frequently come, so it will benefit them as well as lots of other people too.
“People are fascinating when you get to know them, and this will be a great opportunity to make connections.”
Ian, a member of CLASP, said, “It’s a fantastic initiative, and it’s great to be involved with this project.
“We were inspired when Aliya came to talk to us about Hello Bench, and realised that this is an ideal place to set one up.
“We’re really hoping that people will come and enjoy it.”
Aliya Musa, from Woodley, founded Hello Bench.
“Three years ago, working alone from home, I faced a number of difficult life events, and really hit a low.
“I would go to a local lake and sit on a bench to try to feel more myself, and heard about chatty benches.
“So I decided to raise money for a bench at South Lake.
“They say, if you have a problem, go and help someone else with that problem.
“So I told my story on Facebook, and someone said why don’t you put plaques on existing benches?”
Aliya’s first Hello Bench was in Woodley’s Woodford Park, with four more benches soon going into Reading University, and the goal being for the scheme eventually to spread nationwide.
MP Clive Jones said: “It would be excellent if Hello Benches could be rolled out across the borough.
“If we could start something in Wokingham and help it to spread countrywide, that would be marvellous.”
Each bench has a QR code which puts people in touch with Hub of Hope, a charity that signposts them to all the mental health services in their area which can help.
For information, visit: claspwokingham.org and hellobench.org.uk
