Kindness bench arrives in Mitchell’s Plain

Alicia English|Published 3 months ago

Dennis Stander, left, of the Men Stand Tall organisation, with Bradley Bailey, of the Kind Heart Bench project, with, seated, from left, Leslie Werth, from Rocklands Primary; Seed director Logie Soobramoney; and Uthando (Love) South Africa director James Fernie.

A bench promoting mental health awareness and kindness has been installed at Rocklands Primary School.

The yellow Kind Heart Bench, which displays the number for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s 24-hour toll-free helpline, was installed by Uthando (Love) South Africa, a non-profit tourism organisation, at the Schools Environmental Education and Development’s (Seed) Rocklands Urban Abundance Centre, at Rocklands Primary, on Friday October 25.

Seed is a non-profit organisation that provides well-being and livelihood training to help people from marginalised communities to become more resilient.

Since the start of the Kind Heart Bench project in 2014, Uthando, with the help of sponsors, has installed benches at 17 locations across the province. This is the first one in Mitchell’s Plain.

“The unveiling of the Kind Heart Bench at Seed is a celebration of community and mental wellbeing. The bench will serve as a safe space for reflection, conversation and support, much like the transformative work done by Seed,” Uthando said in a statement.

The Kind Heart Bench project is the brainchild of Lansdowne artist and designer Bradley Bailey who founded the initiative after a relative was abused at school and struggled with anxiety and depression.

“The project emphasises that we as a society can be that pillar and back- and armrests, and come alongside students and bullied kids, those who feel depressed and marginalised, and the homeless, hungry and often forgotten folk," Mr Bailey said.

”By spreading inclusion, love and kindness, we can create a new narrative, cultivating a hope that things can change and will change if we engage and work together.

“We have taken a design-thinking approach to tackle mental health in communities, workplaces and public spaces.

“Our project is now linked to Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking Afrika, which provides design-thinking training to students and staff of the University of Cape Town.

“Our next step involves installing wi-fi-enabled benches in public spaces, work and educational spaces, ensuring individuals have access to mental health resources wherever they may be.”

Visit kindheartbench.co.za for more information.

Pictured are representatives from Kind Heart Bench project, Uthando (Love) South Africa, Seed and others at the unveiling of Mitchell’s Plain’s first Kind Heart Bench.