Legend on the Bench-Broadstairs

Broadstairs, our 3rd Bench of the day revealed.

After Margate, we made the short journey along the coast to Broadstairs to reveal our third bench of the day.

By this point the weather had shown absolutely no intention of easing. The wind was still howling, the rain relentless, the cold seeping into every layer. We were tired, soaked and windswept, but determined to keep moving on. Because once again, despite the brutal conditions, people came out to support this great cause. The turnout was strong, faces wrapped in scarves, hoods pulled tight, hands clasped together for warmth, yet still they stood with us in our quest.

And then came the unveiling.

No matter how many times I witness it, it always stops me in my tracks. As the cover is lifted and the bench slowly reveals itself, there is a moment, a stillness, where everything else fades away, it is powerful, it is moving, it is humbling.

But if I am honest, it is also a sight that one day I hope to stop seeing.

That may sound strange, given how much work and passion goes into every single installation. But my hope, my genuine, heartfelt hope, is that one day these benches won’t be needed. That mental health will be fully understood, that suicide will no longer take the lives of so many. That conversations will be easy, support will be accessible, and no one will feel alone in their darkest moments.

Maybe that is a fantasy, maybe it feels a long way off, but where there is hope, there is a way. And hope is something we must hold onto fiercely.

Once Again Katie Moore and Ray Berry took control of the Speaking. The speeches, as always, were amazing and straight to the point. There were no wasted words, just honesty, just compassion, just a shared understanding of why we were all standing there in the wind and rain. Each speaker reinforced the same message, that togetherness matters, that awareness saves lives, and that community is stronger than silence.

Once again a Huge Thank you to Maria Howden, Ray Berry and East Kent Spurs and all who fundraised. Simply put you are Legends X

Three benches in one day, three communities brought together, three reminders that even in the harshest conditions, people will show up for something that truly matters.

We may have been battered by the elements, but we were never shaken in our purpose.