Talk over tea on mental health benches

Restaurant chain

Wagamama is placing Japanese-style outdoor benches around the country in a bid to get people talking after lockdown isolation.

The benches will be in university cities such as Brighton, Bristol and Manchester, to help young people connect with their peers. Free cups of green tea will be served to encourage people to stay and chat.

Wagamama has worked with its charity partner Young Minds and campaigner Ben West on the idea.

“There has not been a time before now that the mental wellbeing of young people is a more urgent issue, exacerbated by the loneliness of lockdown,” says Ben.