A place to connect
The Story Bench
The Challenge
We know that stories have enormous power to shape how we think, feel and act in the world.
But most climate or nature campaigns often seem more focused on policies and statistics than the kind of emotional, human stories we can all relate to.
The Glimpse
Imagine a world where...
nature was our shared story
We invited six pairs of strangers to share their stories of Prince’s Parade: a coastal strip of land in Kent which is vulnerable to climate change and slated for development.
From the struggles of Covid lockdown to walks with lost loved ones, this unassuming beauty spot was central to people’s wellbeing and sense of meaning.
A lasting legacy
In secret, we commissioned a master woodcarver to capture people’s stories on a bespoke bench.
We presented the bench as a legacy of people’s love for Prince’s Parade.
The Mayor of Hythe attended a community screening and unveiled the story bench at the Fountain pub, where it now lives permanently.
Climate change and nature loss are huge issues, and they can be overwhelming to think about. Hearing people share their experience of love, loss and dog walks can help us all relate to what’s happening and perhaps find some reasons to hope.
We believe that communities working together and supporting each other will be key to coping with these problems in the long term, and we’re keen to tell more stories about real people doing just that.
