The Friendly Bench

The Friendly Bench™ are outdoor community social spaces created to help connect the elderly, socially isolated and those with limited mobility to people, to places and with nature.

The purposely designed, kerbside community gardens with integrated seating and sensory planting are welcoming accessible social spaces for all members of the community to meet, chat, rest and interact on their own doorstep. Intended also as a focus for regular community meet ups, The Friendly Bench™ are inclusive, informal community spaces where people can connect with their community, strengthening social cohesion amongst users and residents reducing social isolation and loneliness.

The core principles that guide The Friendly Bench™ are:

Connecting people – An accessible social space, The Friendly Bench™ helps grow and strengthens people's social networks with their wider community and improves wellbeing through friendship and is the focus for monthly community events and activities.

Connecting places - purposely designed The Friendly Bench™ provides a convenient and comfortable place for those with limited mobility to rest, helping them to connect with local services and public places, whilst also encouraging independence and opportunities to participate in their wider community on their terms.

Connecting with nature - enabling easy accessible interactions with nature, wildlife and the outdoors to help improve people's physical health, mental well-being, social behaviour, self esteem and life satisfaction

The Friendly Bench CIC are partnering with communities and organisations to develop a scheme in their own location.

Offering a full design, build, installation, training to support set up and operation package, as well as funding solutions and advice, The Friendly Bench CIC team would work closely with each community to develop The Friendly Bench™ to cater for their bespoke needs.