Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres has announced a new partnership with The Chatty Café Scheme, launching in four selected Hillier Garden Centres – Botley, Syon Park, Eastbourne and Newbury. 

The Chatty Café Scheme encourages connection through friendly conversation. Participating centres will host “Chatter & Natter” tables where customers are welcome to sit if they’re open to chatting with offers – offering a simple, meaningful way for people to meet new faces and combat loneliness. The scheme already operates across hundreds of venues nationwide including cafes, pubs, libraries and hospitals. 

Alex Hoskyn, Founder of The Chatty Café Scheme, commented: “I started to think about the positive impact we could have had on each other if we had sat together. I know from experience that when you are feeling lonely, a short conversation with another human can really brighten your day and I realised that you can be out of the house all day yet have no interaction with another person.” 

Rob Bayley, Garden Centre Manager at Hillier Garden Centre Botley, commented: “It’s great to have a group like The Chatty Café Scheme host these sessions at our restaurant. Seeing how supportive and encouraging the scheme has been for our customers has been a real treat!”

Beginning on 10th December, The Chatty Café Scheme sessions will be held in the garden centre restaurants at Botley, Syon Park, Eastbourne and Newbury. Sessions will run every Wednesday from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. 

If you are interested in joining The Chatty Café Scheme as a volunteer click here. 

For more information about Hillier, visit www.hillier.co.uk.