Your Local Friendship Bench Needs You!

[SlightlyJaded]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/1426504-When-you-need-a-RL-friend?pg=2

This thread gives historic info.

Now that MNHQ have launched the lovely all
Singing/all dancing shiny new Local Boards, its very easy to find and sit on the friendship bench

I just wanted to remind everyone that it's there for anyone ANYWHERE in need of a friend. You don't have be 'in need' to sit on it - you can just lurk on there in case someone in your area turns up looking for a RL shoulder.

So many times on MN, especially on the relationships boards, posters have had amazing support and been offered warmth and wisdom, but have been lacking a single RL person to bolster them up. The friendship bench is somewhere we can encourage people to go to find such a person. Sometimes tea, cake and a RL person to eat it with can be all you need to take a final decisive step/stop you feeling completely isolated/get your head straight.

But this will only work if as well as directing people to he bench, we check our local
Boards from time to time to see if anyone is sat on the bench hoping someone will come
along.

I know it seems like a big ask - taking on a strangers problems when lives are full and stressful, but in he time it takes to meet someone in a local cafe, you could make a real difference. It doesn't have to be a long term 'commitment' - just a friendly hand being held out.

I can think of a few posts where a RL meet with a MNer made a world of difference to the OP and the friendship bench is just a tool
for facilitating that more easily.

I know it won't be for everyone but I thought a timely reminder now that the new Local boards are launching wouldn't go a miss.

Nah, just says website not found or directs me to a page that's not there.

I cant post at all on my local friendship bench, there is just a drop down box titled "alphabetical" and nothing else

@PeppermintPasty

Well, I tried that and it didn't work! Will try again in a bit though.

There's no www before local

it's just local.mumsnet.com/cornwall

@qo

I cant post at all on my local friendship bench, there is just a drop down box titled "alphabetical" and nothing else

The Friendship Bench won't be working until Local Talk goes live which will happen very very soon. The Group Meet-ups pages are working now, so if you want to organise one of those, just pm me.

Can we be kept updated via this thread, please ?

I am waiting to park my butt on a Friendship Bench too

@AnyFucker

Can we be kept updated via this thread, please ?

I am waiting to park my butt on a Friendship Bench too

Yes, I'll come straight back on here and wave the chequered flag when it's working.

marking my place for when all is up and running.

Hope the Birmingham one is going soon, folkghoul ( thread in chat entitled something like haven't got dad, gran, mum cut off but have my husband.....) hasn't got any RL local support, her husband is leaving two weeks after her father's death (having been on adultery-seeking websites) and she doesn't have access to money etc.

.

I'm in Birmingham...will look for that thread.

@AnyFucker

Can we be kept updated via this thread, please ?

I am waiting to park my butt on a Friendship Bench too

OK all, the chequered flag has been raised on the Friendship Bench? Post away.