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
Over two years, we created four ‘story benches’ across the UK with our partners at the National Trust.
Each one was carved with the real details of peoples’ lives and what the land meant to them.

From the loneliness of lockdown to memories of lost loved ones, we heard how each unassuming beauty spot was central to people’s wellbeing and sense of meaning.

Carved Into Memory
In secret, we commissioned a master woodcarver to capture people’s stories in the grain.
We then presented the bench to each pair, as a legacy of their love for this place.

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.