New Square has revealed the first glimpse of its new Kindness Bench, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week (15 – 21 May 2023).
The Kindness Bench was created in partnership with local children, including pupils from King George V School in Sandwell, who created designs inspired by the theme of kindness. It was commissioned with the intention of it sitting at the heart of New Square’s new community garden, which is in the process of being created, to give people a green space to rest and reflect, as well as connect with others and the local community.
As well as the Kindness Bench, New Square’s new community garden space will include floral displays, areas of planting, a wormery, bug hotel, a water collection butt and seating. It will be available for visitors to enjoy all year round and has been created as part of New Square’s 10th Birthday Celebrations in 2023!
The centre will also make a £200 donation to The Kaleidoscope Plus Group charity to mark the launch of the garden, who support people across the West Midlands with a range of mental health issues.
Jackie Clay, centre manager at New Square Shopping Centre comments, “We’re so excited about developing the community garden at New Square. The Kindness Bench is central to its design and it’s been wonderful working with local children to create the design and then to see it all come to life. We hope that this new space when it’s finished will become a great place for people to visit, take time out and reflect on how we can all be kinder to each other and ourselves.”
