An east London man who started inviting strangers to join him in the pub after losing his best friend to suicide has now helped organise 1,000 meet-ups to tackle loneliness.
Dean Perryman, 30, from Stratford, launched the campaign, called Empty Chairs, in December in memory of his friend Rob Clancy, who died the month before at the age of 29.
Each event invites people—particularly those who feel isolated or alone—to join Mr Perryman for a drink and a conversation in a relaxed pub setting.
Mr Perryman said: "It has been such an incredible experience.
"I am loving every second of it still.
"When I started it came from such a place of sadness and to see how this simple idea has been able to help so many people has been really nice."
To make himself easily identifiable, he wears a bright orange hoodie.
The 1,000th Empty Chairs event took place in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, two weeks ago and attracted around 12 attendees.
Mr Perryman said: "I have been able to meet and connect with so many new people and learn about them.
"It gives people an opportunity to speak openly if they need it."
He used the social media reach of his employer, team-building game company Chicken Rush, to promote the idea and attract attendees.
Events began in London and Essex, before expanding nationwide and eventually overseas, thanks to volunteers who now help host gatherings further afield.
Empty Chairs meet-ups have since been planned in Manchester, Bedford, Cambridge, Skegness, Gloucester, Leeds, York and Wrexham.
They have also spread internationally to Colombia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.
Mr Perryman said: "Some people come because they really want someone to listen to what they have to say.
"Others come because they have the capacity to be there for someone else."
He said that while attendees often share personal stories, those conversations remain confidential at the table.
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He said: "We’ve talked about the difficulty of living in a big city, and feeling isolated, but nothing is off the table – we’ve spoken about everything and anything.
"To give people a place that they can go when they need to talk is incredible."
Mr Perryman has personally attended 61 of the events.
He said that his favourite aspect of the campaign is seeing men open up, as he believes there are too few safe and supportive spaces for them to talk honestly about their feelings.
Although each gathering is different, he said a common thread is the diversity of attendees.
Mr Perryman said: "Every Empty Chairs event you go to you are going to meet people of different walks of life.
"It is so powerful to show that no matter who you are, there is a place for you.
"We have everyone – men, women, young, old.
"There really isn’t a barrier to entry for this, whoever needs the space is welcome to come."
People often attend because they are new to the area, want to meet others, or simply feel lonely.
He hopes Empty Chairs will become a lasting legacy for Rob.
Mr Perryman said: "He was the kindest, sweetest guy you could ever hope to meet.
"Like a lot of men, he wasn’t the biggest sharer.
"He was very much the life and soul of anywhere you went, but he wasn’t someone who would be the first to open up about it if he was feeling some type of way.
"To now be in a position where Empty Chairs looks like it could be a legacy for Rob is amazing."
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