Malcolm Brabant:

Twenty miles to the south are sheer drops, where, over the years, several people have leapt to their deaths. The cliffs no longer have such a grim reputation, thanks in part to a neighborhood regeneration scheme, including the benches.

I have come to Ramsgate, a seaside town some 80 miles southeast of London. This is a chatty bench. It's a glorious sunny day, a real change from the miserable winter that Britain's having. People are out and about. Let's see if anybody wants to talk.

The sad truth is, I was studiously ignored, until David Barber turned up. He's one of the community leaders behind this chatty bench project.

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