The Red Bench Project Comes to North Tyneside

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The Red Bench Project, a suicide prevention initiative, has launched in North Tyneside. Three distinctive red benches have been installed across the borough, offering a place of reflection, connection and hope.

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00:00In a bid to offer hope, connection and support, the Red Bench Project has arrived in North Tyneside,

00:07a suicide prevention initiative bringing bright red benches to our communities.

00:12Each bench carries a powerful message and signposts to help put anyone in crisis.

00:18This one here at Spanish City was funded by Suzanne Howes in memory of her 17-year-old son, Samuel,

00:24who tragically took his own life five years ago.

00:27North Tyneside Council is backing the project with three benches now installed in Whitley Bay, North Shields and Wollsend,

00:35following similar success in South Tyneside.

00:38I spoke with founder Wayne to learn more.

00:41We are here in North Tyneside in front of Spanish City in Whitley Bay

00:45to promote the launch of the Red Bench Project actually in North Tyneside.

00:51And these are sort of safe spots for people to go if they are struggling with their mental health.

00:56The reason we have the bench, we have obviously a bit of red on it, so it stands out.

01:01What that's for is if somebody's sitting alone on a bench and you see them on the bench,

01:06you can see it's a red bench, go over and say hello.

01:09Just that little interaction, that little bit of kindness can really make a difference to someone who's struggling,

01:14someone who feels alone, that nobody cares.

01:16To have a stranger actually take the time and effort to say hello and ask if they're okay

01:21can stop them from taking that next step.

01:25And that's a step we don't want to see because obviously there's no coming back from that.

01:30What we also say is these benches can be used as a silent cry for help.

01:34Now, I've got a big support network around me, family and friends, but I never talked to them.

01:39I didn't open up to anybody.

01:41So what we're trying to say is, well, if you don't want to talk to your family or friends,

01:45you might talk to a stranger.

01:46So again, you can sit on a bench and what you're saying to people silently is,

01:51I need help.

01:52So yeah, it's promoted as a silent cry for help, a safe space or just somewhere to come

01:58and chill and reflect and calm down.

02:02I mean, the original bench is on South Shields Beach and that's where I go for my medicine.

02:07So I'll sit on a bench for hours, just listen to the waves and that sorts my head out.

02:11So hopefully people can use these benches for any of those reasons.

02:15We're also working with a lot of the local charities.

02:18We try and make inroads with them so that we know where to send people.

02:23So if somebody's struggling and we find out why, we know which charity or which group to

02:28send them to so they can get the right help.

02:30Because unfortunately, everyone just thinks they've got to go to the doctor and that's

02:35all you get really is medicine or counselling.

02:38And for that, you've got a six month waiting list and that's not enough for people.

02:41When there's actually lots of groups out there, support groups, charities, there's all

02:46kinds out there, but if you don't know about it, then you can't get the help.

02:51So we're just trying to signpost them to the right help so that they don't struggle,

02:55they don't suffer in silence.

02:57And that's basically what the red bench is all about.

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