Panketal welcomes the first chat bench: Together against loneliness!

Panketal welcomes the first chat bench: Together against loneliness!

On June 23, 2025 the time had finally come: Panketal celebrated the inauguration of its first Chat bench in the beautiful Goethe Park. Mayor Maximilian Wonke and Petra Krummel, chairwoman of the senior citizens' advisory board, were on site to open the new meeting point for all generations. The Plauderbank offers an excellent opportunity to start a conversation - no matter how old you are or where you come from.

The idea for the Plauderbank comes from the Panketal Senior Citizens' Advisory Council, which wants to use it to specifically address one of the biggest challenges of today: loneliness in old age. The social project aims to reduce social isolation and strengthen social cohesion through casual conversations. Looking beyond borders, the concept of chat benches originated in England in 2018, when police officer Ashley Jones set up the first “chat bench” in Burnham-on-Sea. There are now hundreds of such benches, spread from London to Germany to Australia, to invite people to have a chat Wikipedia.

The Plauderbank design team

Significantly, the benches are not just pieces of wood in the park, but are artfully designed. Students from the 9th grade at the Wilhelm-Conrad-Röntgen-Gesamtschule in Zepernick used a lot of creativity to design the lettering that can be found on the benches. The young designers Noah and Benjamin were also present at the inauguration ceremony and were proud of their work.

But this isn't the first time the school and the community have worked side by side. Insect hotels were previously created through collaboration, which further promoted the sense of community. Mayor Wonke emphasized the importance of such cooperation and emphasized how good it is when young people are actively involved in municipal projects. This not only creates joy, but also understanding between generations.

Loneliness in focus

The problem of loneliness does not only affect older people, but has many faces. According to that Federal Ministry for Family Affairs Millions of people in Germany are affected by loneliness, including many young adults. With the inauguration of the Plauderbank, Panketal would like to actively combat this social challenge and is thus part of a broader commitment that is supported by the federal and state governments. In the next few weeks, five more chatting benches are to be set up at various locations in Panketal, including at the mouth of the Dranse and near the cemeteries.

The chat bench is more than just a place to relax - it is a symbol of solidarity and encounters. If you are looking for a nice chat or just want to enjoy a little time out in the park, then the new bench is the perfect place for it. Take a seat and let yourself be inspired!