We are thrilled to share that our The Friendly Bench Network continues to grow as on 4th August we officially handover our latest The Friendly BenchⓇ to Charles Burrell Centre in Thetford, Norfolk.
Located right outside the community and business centre, The Friendly Bench Thetford will be run by the Charles Burrell Centre and will be a hive of activity for all ages and abilities of the community to come together, get to know each other, share skills and get involved in the events that the centre plans to run independently and with partner organisations in their area.
There will be an official opening of The Friendly Bench Thetford taking place shortly, more details coming soon, in the meantime Charles Burrell Centre will be hosting their first event at The Friendly Bench Thetford next week with their ‘Read and Feed’ programme with Norfolk Libraries coming to The Friendly Bench for storytelling.
Nik Chapman, The Friendly Bench Thetford lead said, “We are so thrilled to welcome The Friendly Bench to the Charles Burrell Centre and the first to Norfolk. We are so grateful to Lyndsey, the CEO of The Friendly Bench CIC, for believing in us. It is a thing of wonder and beauty. Photographs will draw you in but in truth it is only part of the joy. It is so much more. The Friendly Bench itself is very tactile and overlayed with the sensory smell and touch of the planting it is embracing and calming. Of course it is the ‘wait-a-while’ nature of such a place that brings the people together to talk. Activities and events which The Friendly Bench can inspire are only limited by imagination. As well as Norfolk Libraries storytelling coming to The Friendly Bench as part of ‘Read and Feed’ programme, in early September The Friendly Bench will be the start and finish of our Treasure Trail on Community Day. But it needs no organised event to be able to enjoy a moment or longer. Come and linger. The Friendly Bench is a place for everyone.”
Lyndsey Young, Founder of The Friendly Bench CIC said, “We are thrilled to bring The Friendly Bench to Thetford and to welcome Charles Burrell Centre to The Friendly Bench Network. By working together we can help support the local people of Thetford build intergenerational connections, provide opportunities to learn and share skills, encourage people to re-engage with their community and reduce social isolation and loneliness.”
This The Friendly BenchⓇ has been made possible thanks to players of the National Lottery and is one of 10 The Friendly Benches supported by The National Lottery Community Fund which are being installed across the England.
More information about what will be happening at The Friendly BenchⓇ Thetford can be found on their social media pages Twitter: @CbcCentre, Facebook: @CharlesBurrellCentre or you can email Nik Chapman at: nik@charlesburrellcentre.org.uk