'Happy to chat' bench aims to combat loneliness

Dan Skipper of Age UK said people need the chance to engage with others

A "happy to chat" bench has been placed beside a community centre with the aim of combating loneliness by encouraging conversation.

The bench in Hellesdon, near Norwich, has a plaque which invites people to take a seat if they are happy for others to stop and say hello.

Age UK Norwich said it hoped it would go some way to tackling "difficult" levels of loneliness in the Norfolk city and its suburbs, with up to 65% of people living alone in some areas.

"This might only be chair to someone and they will walk past, but to someone else this is a lifeline," said chief executive Dan Skipper.

"From sitting here one day they then might go to bowls or a 'knit and natter' and all the other things that happen around here," he added.

"This is about bringing people together - people who unfortunately live alone and might come through this area several times a week and actually want some social interaction and some company.

"This a safe space for them to do that."

It is hoped the bench will spark conversation

Issues around ageing and loneliness are particularly pertinent in Norfolk, with one-third of the population in North Norfolk being aged 65 or over - the largest proportion in England and Wales.

Mr Skipper said the county as a whole also had one of the largest ageing populations in the country.

"It's a very sad state of our society that we are having to force this type of situation but we have a lot of people living longer, and people who are not older but who live alone," he added.

"They are losing that social interaction, that opportunity to share how they feel.

"We are a social species and need that engagement with each other."