Friendship benchmark

ALL primary schools in Ballymun are getting a Christmas present of ‘Buddy Benches’ under a new initiative designed to combat social isolation and encourage kindness and compassion in children.

he benches are being made by Northside men’s sheds and inmates from Wheatfield Prison who are helping the Andy Morgan Foundation (AMF) in its latest drive to tackle loneliness in the schoolyard.

The buddy bench campaign was officially launched last week in Holy Spirit GNS and plans are underway to spread the idea across the city during 2016.

The foundation, set up in memory of Santry man Andy Morgan who took his own life on New Year’s Eve 2010, came up with the plan earlier this year when his family took a trip to Poland.

It was a poignant holiday as Andy’s last trip abroad shortly before he died was to Krakow. A photo of Andy sitting on a bench in the historic Polish city has become a treasured family memento.

“When we were going we said we’d go and try and find that bench and get a photograph of our son Jamie on it because he’s the image of Andy,” said his partner Joanne.

“I was searching for the bench on Google when I came across posts for Buddy Benches that are in America.”

The concept behind buddy benches is that they provide a safe space for children. When a child feels left out or lonely, they can sit on the bench and designated ‘buddy listeners’ will reach out to them.

“I just thought it was a really sweet idea and I asked a few guys in the foundation what they thought about it and they loved it,” Joanne said.

“It’s as much for the children not on the bench as it is for the one who is sitting on it. It’s basically to teach kids kindness and compassion for each other and to show them how to help each other out.”

The foundation team set about finding out where they could get benches made and approached local men’s sheds to see if they could help. The men’s shed concept of helping combat social isolation fitted in perfectly with the AMF’s aim to get people talking, so the lads were only too happy to help.

“We rang up Wheatfield Prison too and the guys in there have made a few for us as well so we’re going up to see them next week,” Joanne continued.

“There’s about 12 benches made so far and every primary school in Ballymun is getting one. We’re going to get them all out before Christmas.

“After Christmas we’ll try and get all of Finglas done and then we’ll probably move to Cabra. We want to get the whole city covered.

“The feedback has been very positive. We’ve been getting messages on our Facebook page from schools all around the country looking for them.”

Joanne says support for the campaign has been amazing, with men’s sheds in Baldoyle, Swords and Mulhuddart churning out benches and suppliers like Fleetwood Paints in Finglas donating materials.

The Buddy Bench campaign has an official anthem sung by Rachel Brady and Keemar Bstarr Edwards. The talented duo performed the song at the launch in Holy Spirit last week and got the children to join in and bounce along to the catchy tune.

Also in attendance was local mum, Sandra Wilson, who paid for the Holy Spirit bench. 

Anybody who’d like to help the campaign can call the Andy Morgan Foundation on 085-2095169 or visit Facebook.com/theandymorganfoundation.