REDDITCH’S Kingfisher Centre have launched a ‘Happy to Chat’ bench, located along Walford Walk, in a proactive effort to combat loneliness and isolation.
The bench will be the first in Redditch and will promote community cohesion within the centre.
It will be available for anyone to use and aims to create a safe space for shoppers to sit and chat to others.
Loneliness and isolation have become pressing issues in today’s fast-paced society, with more than a million people across the country stating they often or always feel lonely, according to Age UK.
The Kingfisher Centre says it is taking meaningful steps to address these concerns head-on, investing in the wellbeing of Redditch’s local community.
The ‘Happy to Chat’ bench, a thoughtful campaign, has been designed to further enhance Kingfisher’s welcoming environment and will allow for shoppers and visitors to easily interact with one another.
Adrian Field, the centre’s general manager, said: “We are always looking for new ways to encourage community interaction and how we can create a hospitable and safe space for our shoppers.
“Some people may go days or even weeks without the simplest human interaction, so by installing the bench it allows for that social barrier to be broken and for our visitors to connect and talk with each other.”
Visit kingfishershopping.co.uk for more information.
