Mental health benches for Welshpool

A councillor’s call to have ‘mental health benches’ located across Welshpool has been unanimously backed by fellow town councillors.

The idea was floated by Cllr David France, who has previously shared his own painful experience about his brother-in-law’s mental health issues that led to him eventually taking his own life.

Cllr France said he had been approached by residents with the idea after they had seen the benches in other towns and villages, including Berriew.

“The basic idea is that you get a plaque that is attached to a bench which says ‘this is a bench where you can come and talk to someone if you are feeling lonely’,” he explained. “So, two people could come, have a chat about how they are doing on the bench. Beneath that is information for people who may be struggling with their mental health, and there might not be someone there (at the bench) for them to talk to, say The Samaritans or some other mental health organisation.

Cllr France said that he has floated the idea with local charity, Ponthafren, who he said “were enthusiastic” and even offered to provide a bench for the project.

Councillors supported the proposal of having one bench in each of the three Welshpool wards, which could be current benches but with a plaque added to them.