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someone is always listening

Frequently Asked Questions

Please email us at info@legend-on-the-bench.co.uk if you cannot find an answer to your question.

  • Legend-on-the-Bench is a non-profit making charity, set up with the aim of reducing the number of tragedies recorded each year due to mental health issues or suicides. 

    The organisation's objective is to raise money for the public benefit, the relief and assistance of people in need, in any part of the UK who are suffering from mental health issues and suicidal thoughts, by the provision of benches in public spaces, promoting the inscribed sources of support/advocacy/advice/information.

  • If you look up the word Legend, it has several meanings: 

    •    A story handed down for generations among a people and popularly believed to have a historical basis;
    •    A person or thing that inspires legends;
    •    An inscription or title on an object;
    •    An explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart;

    The benches represent all of the above – they are inscribed details of support groups which leads to the website with contact information of each. The bench also represents a place of comfort for those seeking it during dark times, inspired the person who took their own life at that spot. And it will generate a story of hope, to all those suffering from Mental Health issues and Suicidal thoughts, that there are people available who want to help, either in person or by a link to an organisation, provided by many people out of the goodness of their hearts, by donation money or time.

    As an ex-professional footballer, Micky became a Legend in his sport, but it was not without the support of people on the bench or around him. Micky and Michelle, wish to be the Legend on your Bench, when you need it.

  • In 2019, Micky received a phone call from his sister Michelle, after finding her son, Jason Lee Mead, had committed suicide by hanging himself at home. After dealing with the family tragedy, both came together to try and find a way to prevent the same loss to other people and started a fundraising campaign to install a bench in the same park where Jay used to visit during his free time before taking his own life, as a beacon of hope and source of support information to others in the same desperate situation. 

    The idea grew into wanting to extend this initiative to all parks in the UK, growing the awareness of mental health struggles and the impacts that suicidal thoughts have on the people and their loved ones, with the hope that people affected will find the support they need, and hopefully minimise or prevent the number of people taking their own life, when they feel there is no other path to follow.

  • There is no limit being set. Once the project is established the Committee of Trustees will look to project forward based on fund raising experience.

  • Legend-on-the-Bench Charity Committee of Trustees will consider all requests for a bench and make a final decision.

  • Our first bench was installed in Sawbridgeworth Park. Details of other and future installations will be featured on the Charity website.

  • Solid African hardwood.

  • Within reason, and with the approval of any local Council planning consents.

  • Current costs are £2000 per bench plus Council fees – these may vary upon location and the number of groundworks required.

  • The Legend-on-the-Bench charity will contact the relevant authority for permission.

  • The benches will be installed with a set inscription and QR code – it may be possible for a brass plaque to be added after with approval of the Committee of Trustees /local Council.

  • There is a list of locations on the website with photos – it will be continually updated.

  • This will depend on our supplier – the average target time will be one week and communicated per bench on the charity website.

  • This will depend on each local authority, usually several weeks – the average time will be found on the charity's website once we have examples of the time taken. 

  • The benches have integral lighting and will be securely fastened to the ground.

  • The local authority will decide, but usually the charity will maintain the benches as part of our permissions from them.

  • A list of events will be displayed on our NEWS & EVENTS page.

  • There are many ways in which to donate to Legend-on-the-Bench - PayPal, JustGiving, or by direct payment. Please head over to our dedicated WAYS TO DONATE page.

  • We have put together a checklist for the steps required. Please head over to our GET A BENCH INSTALLED page for full details.

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Legend-on-the-Bench

Someone is always listening

Latest news

We post news, events and details of bench reveals on our social channels and on our news page. 

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