'Happy to Share' initiative now in Honiton cafés

An initiative that encourages people to talk to others sitting in cafés has been rolled out in Honiton, thanks to the efforts of Sarah Lou-Glover.

Sarah learnt about the scheme from speaking to social entrepreneur, Caron Spakes, who came up with the idea as a way of 'tackling loneliness by encouraging people to share tables in public, which can lead to conversation and friendship.'

The project was funded by Recovery Devon, which is 'a community of people supporting mental health recovery' and is being promoted in towns across Devon.

Sarah told Nub News: "I just felt that this was such a simple idea and one that we could make use of here in Honiton.

"It links in perfectly with making Honiton a Mental Health Friendly town and is an effective way of combatting isolation and loneliness.

"As we know, this is a major problem affecting all walks of life, especially the ageing population and young mums who might sit in cafés to escape the confines of the home for a bit."

The 'Happy To Share My Table' cards are now in lots of cafes

Honiton businesses already participating in the scheme are listed below, with more places yet to be approached:

• Little Shop of Season Café
• Boston Tea Party
• Lacemakers Café
• Accidental Vegan Café
• Honiton Wine Bar
• Honiton Pottery
• Coffee #1
• Costa
• The Star
• Jumping Beans Café
• The Beehive Café
• Warren's Bakery