A PROJECT to expand Malvern’s Happy to Chat efforts will see cafes in the town provide places for people to engage in conversation with others.
Following the successful launch of the Happy to Chat benches in April this year, a new pilot is being launched across cafés in Malvern to include tables for the same purpose from December.
The ‘Happy to Chat’ benches were put in by Malvern Town Council following an idea championed by councillor Julie MacLusky which encourages conversation among the community to combat loneliness and isolation.
The benches followed an idea adopted by various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Switzerland and Ukraine.
Malvern Town Council is now expanding into cafés in the hope of reaching a wider audience and getting more people talking.
In the lead up to Christmas, Abbey Road Coffee, Book and Cup Café at Malvern Library and The Cube will all be taking part in the pilot.
All of these cafés will have happy to chat tables located in their premises as a designated place that people can go for a cuppa and a chat.
Malvern is one of many locations across the UK taking part in the Happy to Chat table scheme. One lady from Bradford on Avon said the Happy to Chat table at her local café “saved her life” after she suddenly became widowed.
Councillor Julie Maclusky said: “We are thrilled to be expanding the Happy to Chat initiative to include a wider audience of Malvern.
“The Happy to Chat tables will provide a space for people to strike up chats in more central locations across the town.
“As a Council it is important that we take the appropriate steps in pro-actively addressing the epidemic of loneliness, something the Happy to Chat initiative is critical in doing.”
Malvern is one of many locations across the UK taking part in the Happy to Chat table scheme. One lady from Bradford on Avon said the Happy to Chat table at her local café “saved her life” after she suddenly became widowed.
Contact Malvern Town Council at 01684 566667 for more information.
