TBUK Team
Sarah
Press & Social Media
Co-ordinator
Stuart
Co-ordinator
Andy
Founder
Russ
BenchWorks
Co-ordinator
Rachel
Commercial Partnership
Co-ordinator
Hi, I'm Andy Watts, founder of The Bench UK. I'm an ex-frontline Paramedic.
In my professional life, I have dealt with many life-threatening emergencies. Over-time, I developed coping mechanisms to process my emotional response to trauma and maintain good mental health.
During Covid-19 I worked as a medic for the NHS. It was a tough time. I'm not ashamed to admit there were times when I felt broken as my coping mechanisms were stretched to the limit.
I feared that Covid-19 would leave deep emotional scars on people. One of the reasons was the lack of time to form coping mechanisms. And worse, Lockdown presented a new threat to mental health; social isolation.
I have teamed up with Sarah, Stuart, Russ and Rachel to challenge loneliness and encourage healthy conversations around the United Kingdom. Small steps can lead to recovery.
Best wishes, Andy & TBUK team.
Our aim
We want to inspire people to have healthy conversations with us and others.
Our conversations are filmed and published on YouTube, with the aim to inspire others to talk about their mental heath. Talking can be healing.
Our goal
We intend to embed 100+ benches in communities throughout the UK.
1000 videos, that's 1000 people sharing their stories and inspiring others.
Events
The Bench in Reepham Marketplace where The Bench UK concept was conceived.
Teamwork
As I talked to people about the concept of The Bench UK, I received an overwhelming amount of support.
Friends, family, colleagues and even strangers have been instrumental its development.
Amazingly it has been the very concept of encouraging conversation, that made The Bench UK possible.
There are many people I can not thank by name, some were the passers-by. Hopefully they will read this one day and know who they are. Andy.
A special thanks to: Stuart. Mike. Neil. Steve. Rachel. Tim & Cheony.
Press / Media
We invite enquiries from the press and media. Contact us for the access code.