Farnham councillors back plan for 'beacon of hope' bench in Gostrey Meadow

A charity dedicated to suicide prevention and combating mental health issues has been given the green light to install a self-illuminating bench in a Farnham park.

People experiencing mental health crises will soon find a light in the darkness at Gostrey Meadow thanks to Legend on the Bench and a Godalming fundraiser.

The charity was launched by ex-professional footballer Micky Hazard and his sister, Michelle, after the latter tragically lost her son, Jason Lee Mead.

It aims to reduce the number of mental health tragedies by installing memorial benches in parks around the UK. The illuminated solar-powered benches act as a beacon of hope, being embossed with the message ‘someone is always listening” and containing QR codes and directions to causes like the Samaritans and Combat Stress.

Farnham Town Council agreed to commit £1,800 in match funding to the initiative on Thursday (July 30). They granted permission for a memorial bench to be installed at Gostrey Meadow with another earmarked for the Evelyn Borelli Garden of Rest.

Nearly 130 self-illuminating benches have already been installed in towns and cities around the UK with Mike Clarke Snr bringing the district’s first to Jack Phillips Memorial Park in Godalming.

The veteran is keen to have at least one installed in Farnham, with FTC being its custodian and the charity taking responsibility for its maintenance and repair.

Councillors also agreed at the meeting to dish out £5,838 in Community Grants with £2,500 going to the Wrecclesham Conservation Group to help with its Greening Wrecclesham Project.

A grant of £838 is going to Growing Hope Farnham to help equip its new therapy group, while £2,500 has been given to the 1st Bourne Rainbows/Guides/Rangers to help with the costs of setting up a new accessible storage hub.