Volunteers of a Salford park have expressed their heartache after a newly installed ‘chatty bench’ was stolen within ten days of its installation.
The heartache comes after Parr Fold Park’s new ‘Chatty Bench’, which was unveiled on Wednesday (16 August), was stolen from the grounds last night/early this morning (Friday 25 August).
The news was announced via a Facebook post this morning (Friday 25 August), after talks on the bench’s installation has been ongoing for nearly a year in a bid to prevent loneliness and isolation in the area.
A statement from Friends of Parr Fold Park group, read: “The [bench] came about as the result of a project that the Friends have been working on for a year. The Friends have worked hard to raise funds for the bench and worked with Salford City Council to provide a second Chatty bench and to have them installed.
“The group were inspired by a Salford CVS course about Well-being Conversations. Some of the group attended training sessions for volunteers alongside Salford Community Leisure cafe staff.
“The Friends of Parr Fold Park is run solely by a team of dedicated volunteers who give their time to dramatically improve the park and environment for the benefit of all the community.
“We are devastated that someone would do such a thing. ”
Another Chatty Bench is in place at the park’s pavilion, and new memorial benches have also recently been installed.
In response to the robbery, one commenter, Leanne James, said: “What?! It hadn’t even had the security gates removed!”
Another commenter, Sandra Humphries, said: “Omg that’s disgraceful.”
Police and Salford City Council have been informed of the incident.
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