BRINGING THE community together is vital for the team at Wellington Square Shopping Centre and their latest ‘Buddy’ Bench project certainly does that!
The initiative is a partnership between Wellington Square shopping centre, Holy Trinity Rosehill Primary School and Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind with the aim of supporting lonely people in Stockton-on-Tees.
The Buddy Bench project started back in June when Wellington Square’s Marketing Manager Chantal Taylor recruited the pupils of Holy Trinity Rosehill Primary to help to design a bench that would encourage people to sit down and take time out from the busy world around them.
Chantal Taylor said, “Loneliness is affecting more and more of us in the UK and had a huge impact on our physical and mental health during the pandemic which is why we decided to create a solution to support both wellbeing and inclusion in the Teesside community.”
The winning design, by Charlotte McDonald, has now been painted onto the bench by the pupils at the school and installed in Wellington Square so that everyone can enjoy the colourful design that is sure to put a smile on everyone’s faces.
Visitors to Wellington Square are invited to sit down on the bench if they would like to engage in conversation with a like-minded stranger. It is a place where people can form connections with others in the community.
The second part of the campaign brought in the expertise of Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind, who are going to host monthly session that encourages visitors to take a seat on the bench and have a chat as a way of combating loneliness in Stockton.
Claire Pitt, Fundraising Manager at Middlesborough and Stockton Mind said “Sometimes all it takes is a quick chat and a listening ear to make a difference. So, we’ll be in Wellington Square every second Monday of the month to do just that.”
“If you see someone sitting on the bench alone, why not stop, sit down and have a chat? Just a couple of minutes kindness can make someone’s day” she added.
The ‘Buddy Bench’ can be found outside iStation at Wellington Square.