A bench which aims to connect neighbours and combat loneliness is heading to the Rec in Wells.

Sitting on the bench indicates to passers-by that they can join you for a chinwag.

More than nine million people in the UK say they "often or always" feel lonely, according to the British Red Cross.

One tiny way to make a difference is a Time to Chat bench, made by clients in the woodwork workshop at Heads Up, the mental health charity based at South Horrington, and will be put on the Recreation Ground in Wells once suitable footings are in place.

The idea is that anyone can sit on the bench and strike up a conversation, helping to reduce loneliness and isolation in our community.

The bench is made of solid oak donated by Somerset County Council and has now been collected by two members of Open Spaces team for installation on the Rec.

The happy to chat bench concept originated in Cardiff in 2019 and was initially an idea to help specifically elderly people with issues around isolation and loneliness.

Since then, the concept has spread around the world including Canada, Australia, America and Switzerland, with many local authorities promoting chat benches in the UK.

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Elsewhere in the UK happy to chat benches are proving a popular and effective way to reduce social isolation by encouraging conversations.