The charity has introduced the benches to all its properties to help visitors start up conversations, launching communal activities for young families, and hosting NCT (National Childbirth Trust) volunteer-led sling and buggy walks at selected sites.
New research from the NCT* shows that 62% of new parents feel lonely or isolated at least some of the time, and 87% feel overwhelmed. Almost a quarter (23%) of new parents said that they didn’t have a strong support network around them.
With families representing 35% of all English Heritage visits, and over 400 sites in its care right across England, the charity is uniquely placed to help support and bring like-minded parents together in a fun, informal setting.
With this in mind, English Heritage is installing “bonding benches” at its historic sites across the country ahead of the half-term holidays.
Located in areas where families tend to gravitate, such as near playgrounds or open grassland, the benches will feature sliders which can be moved between ‘up for a chat’ and ‘craving quiet’, depending on your mood. The charity hopes that this will help parents take the first step to starting up conversations with new people and making new connections whilst their children play.
See below at the West Midlands English heritage sites near Birmingham where you can use these new ‘bonding benches’:
5. Kenilworth Castle
Located in Warwickshire, this historic castle was constructed from Norman through to Tudor times, the castle was the subject to the six-month-long Siege of Kenilworth in 1266, and formed a base for Lancastrian operations in the Wars of the Roses. | Getty Images Photo: (Photo by English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
6. Witley Court and Gardens
A ruined mansion situated in Worcestershire, managed by English Heritage. It was once a central hub for high society gatherings during the Victorian period. It was destroyed by a major fire in 1937. Despite this, visiting the dramatic ruins is a popular day trip in the area. | Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons