By Jenel Hunt
Of late, there has been a new benchmark for subjects that used to be all but ignored by ‘polite society’ – subjects like domestic and family violence, depression and suicide.
Silent points of reference, coloured benches are sentinels testifying that only by bringing problems out into the open can they have any chance of being fixed.
While the benches certainly have a practical use, it’s that underlying message that makes them powerful.
Four bright red benches can be found in the Southern Downs region, commissioned to call for an end to domestic violence deaths and more broadly, to domestic violence itself.
The benches were the concept of the Red Rose Foundation, a kind of ‘code red’ to inform people of the often unspoken emergency that exists below the surface in every community.
Two of the benches were donated by the Red Rose Foundation and installed by the Southern Downs Regional Council. They are situated at Federation Park in Warwick and Kilpa Park in Stanthorpe.
But the other two benches were brought about by parishes in the region.
St Mark’s Anglican Church in Warwick had its red bench blessed during the annual Domestic Family Violence service back in November 2021 and the seat is still bearing silent witness to an otherwise hidden problem.
The church’s Mothers Union’s members raised money for the bench, which was installed by parishioners.
In Stanthorpe, the St Joseph’s Parish has been responsible for the installation of a red bench in October in the shade of a tree near the St Joseph’s Catholic Church.
St Joseph’s School principal’s assistant Angelina Sims said it was the idea of parish priest Father Gonzalo Garcia Duran.
“I’d been approached by Father Gonzo to be on the parish finance committee and at the meetings we delve into things we’d like to have done. He thought it would be great to have one of the red benches so I set about and found a willing parishioner to donate the money for it,” she said.
“Then the parish financed the installation of the concrete slab.
“It’s lovely to see people using the bench after mass on Sundays. It’s there to signify something important and we’re pleased it’s in a prominent position.”
But red is not the only colour for a bench with a calling, as evidenced by the orange Zonta bench near Quart Pot Creek in Stanthorpe (orange is Zonta’s colour to highlight the message against violence) and a blue bench in Warwick.
The blue bench, at St Mark’s Anglican Church in Warwick, was installed to raise awareness about mental illness, to improve conditions for people suffering from depression and support people whose lives have been impacted by suicide, said parish priest Lizzie Gaitskell.
She said both the Southern Downs Suicide Prevention Network and Zack Locke’s Flock, formed after the death of Zack in October 2021, had been keen to have a space to do something that was ‘positive and tangible for people who have suffered from loss’ and the St Mark’s grounds were the perfect spot.
The bench, along with a blue garden which was created by parishioner Andrew Smith, were blessed in October at a Big Blue Picnic event organised by Zack Locke’s Flock.
“We’ve done a few things together. Zack Locke’s Flock were our lovely partners, especially Steve and Colette Locke who with their friends founded the group in memory of their son,” said Reverend Gaitskell.
She said the group also raised funds for the tree of hope, a blue sculpture created by Cooter Mundey. In April, heart-shaped leaves were fixed to the tree to mark the names of people who have been lost to suicide.
“It’s a unique way to mark a tragic loss,” said Rev Gaitskell.
