Chatty benches combat isolation and loneliness in the UK

Our Property Management team placed two “Chatty Benches” in Coventry Skydome and Orchard Brae House, in collaboration with Sovereign Assist, a retiree assistance service, to reduce feelings of loneliness within their communities.

These benches encourage those who sit to engage each other in conversation. The hope is to help make a difference for the estimated 1.2 million older adults in the UK facing chronic loneliness, heightened by the pandemic.

The benches offer a safe space for people to connect, converse with one another, and hopefully build new friendships, especially amongst older community members.