Happy to Chat Café
In 2023 Healthy Wexford rolled out a ‘Happy to Chat’ Café initiative with local businesses and organisations encouraged to get involved. Within libraries, hotels, restaurants and cafes participating the premises allocate one of their tables as a ‘Happy to Chat’ table, and in each location these tables are identified by a small table sign in the distinctive Healthy Ireland green colour. In any of the Happy to Chat café locations people are asked to consider sitting at the chatting table alone or with a friend, highlighting that you are open to others joining you.
If businesses or community cafes across County Wexford would like to get involved they should get in touch with the Healthy County Coordinator, Annette Dupuy –email annette.dupuy@wexfordcoco.ie or by calling 053-9196000.
Participating locations will be provided with table tent cards, a window sticker and a short guidance note for rolling out the initiative.
Happy to Chat Benches
Healthy Wexford brought the ‘Happy to Chat’ bench initiative to Wexford in 2021. The ‘Happy to Chat’ Bench initiative started in Cardiff in 2019 and has since spread across the world. The benches identify that someone is open to engagement and benches around the world carry the same sign: ‘Happy to chat bench. Sit here if you don't mind someone stopping to say hello’. The benches are effectively an invitation to engage with a stranger and it is hoped that they will help to reduce loneliness and isolation in our county.
Happy to Chat Conversation Hour
In addition to being a ‘Happy to Chat’ location some Wexford Public Libraries offer a monthly ‘Happy to Chat’ Conversation Hour. Get in touch with your local library to find out more.