Following the successful launch of the Happy to Chat bench in April this year, a new pilot is being launched from this December across 4 cafes within Malvern to include Happy to Chat tables within their premises on certain days and times.

The Happy to Chat initiative started in Malvern in April 2024 with 3 benches lead by Councillor Julie MacLusky in aid of improving social connections and interactions which has been a great success.

The Malvern Happy to Chat initiative is now expanding into cafes in hopes of reaching a wider audience and getting people talking. Malvern is one of many locations across the UK taking part in the Happy to Chat table initiative with a lady from Bradford on Avon stating the Happy to Chat table at her local café “saved her life” after she suddenly becoming widowed.

Cllr Julie Maclusky “We are thrilled to be expanding the Happy to Chat initiative to include a wider more diverse 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.”

As we come into Christmas there will be four cafes taking part in this first phase of the pilot including Faun, Abbey Road Café, Book and Cup café at Malvern Library and the Cube. All these cafés will have happy to chat tables located in their premises with a destinated place that people can go for a cuppa and a chat. This will be particularly beneficial at this time year when Christmas can be a lonely time for some.

All premises will be advertising when their Happy to Chat tables will be available.