Mental health chat boxes have been installed in South Tyneside

Mental health chat boxes have been installed in South Tyneside

Image source, The Red Bank Project

Image caption, Wayne Rambo Groves founded The Red Bench Project to help people with their mental health

  • Author, Pamela Tickell
  • Role, BBC News, North East and Cumbria

Extra benches have been installed as part of a plan to help people talk about their mental health.

The Red Bench Project, which provides seating with mental health information and encourages passers-by to talk to service users, expanded across South Tyneside this week.

Wayne Rambo Groves from South Shields founded the project in 2023 after years of ‘struggling’.

He said, “I’ve been the person who’s sat on both sides of the bench. I don’t want other people to feel alone.”

There are now six benches in the North East of England, after four more were installed this week, including in places such as Jarrow, Hebburn and Marsden.

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Mr Groves said he went to “his spot” on the beach for many years to unwind when he was struggling with his mental health.

When his friend died of medical complications, Mr. Groves went to the beach and thought, “I’ve always wanted a bench to remember my death by, so why not get one now?”

Image source, The Red Bank Project

Image caption, Signs on the benches direct people to mental health services

Mr Groves described how the banks encourage people to talk about their mental health issues.

“When I used to sit on benches on the coast regularly, there was always only one person checking to see if I was okay.”

He heard from a colleague that someone had sat down on one of his red couches to relax. Immediately after that, that person was approached to ask how he or she was doing.

“It shows people they are not alone,” Groves said.

There are plans to expand the Red Bench Project to the northeast.

Mr Groves said he already had funding for a bench in Newcastle and was in discussions with Durham County Council and Sunderland City Council about installing benches there.

He also said the project is aimed at schools to help children make their own benches.

“We want to reach the children before they feel lost,” he said.

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