3 September 2026
1,000 Chatty Benches helping people connect across the country
Anchor has reached a milestone of 1,000 Chatty Benches, helping people create opportunities for conversation and connection in communities across the country.
The brightly coloured benches feature a simple plaque inviting people to “sit here if you don’t mind someone stopping to say hello”. The idea is simple: if you’d like some company or fancy a chat, take a seat.
Since the initiative began in 2022, Chatty Benches have appeared in towns, cities and communities across the country, from Westfield shopping centre in London to Bolton Abbey in North Yorkshire. They can also be found at Anchor locations, including care homes and housing locations.
A simple way to start a conversation
For many people, a Chatty Bench can be an easy way to meet someone new or spend time with others.
At The Laurels in Doncaster, residents have been making the most of their Chatty Bench. What started as somewhere to sit and chat has helped bring people together, with residents enjoying coffee and cream teas, arranging regular meet-ups and starting new groups, including a gentlemen’s group and a book club.
And it’s not just people who have become familiar faces. Some of the benches have even attracted regular four-legged visitors.
To mark the 1,000th bench, residents at The Laurels came together to celebrate. Over cups of tea, they shared stories about what the bench has meant to them, from unexpected conversations that have led to new friendships to simply having somewhere to go when they would like some company.
Pauline, a resident at The Laurels, said:
I sit out there most afternoons now and you’d be surprised how many people stop for a chat. I’ve met so many new people and caught up with familiar faces. When you live on your own, having somewhere to sit and knowing someone might join you makes such a difference.
Tackling loneliness through connection
Loneliness can affect people of all ages, but older people can be particularly at risk of becoming socially isolated as circumstances change.
Research has highlighted the scale of the issue, with millions of older people experiencing loneliness. Regular social contact and opportunities to connect with others can play an important role in supporting wellbeing and helping people feel part of their community.
Chatty Benches are one small way of creating those opportunities. There’s no membership, booking or activity to join. Just a place to sit, with an invitation to say hello.
From one bench to 1,000
Lauren Smith, Resident Wellbeing Lead at Anchor, has been closely involved in the Chatty Bench initiative from the beginning.
She said:
Chatty Benches are something I feel incredibly passionate about, so reaching 1,000 benches across Anchor locations and public spaces is a moment I feel really proud of.
I’ve heard so many wonderful stories from residents and communities about how a simple bench has led to a conversation they might not otherwise have had, or helped someone feel a little less alone.
Seeing this grow from an idea into something that is now making a difference in so many communities has been incredibly rewarding.
As the initiative reaches 1,000 benches, the hope is that even more people will take a seat, start a conversation and discover the difference a simple hello can make.
