Good news of the week: friendship benches and purpose-built nature havens

In our weekly good news round-up, we feature three positive stories from across the week that showcase remarkable innovation, breakthroughs, and progress within the realms of healthcare, sustainability, equity and inclusion, workplace wellbeing, social impact and more.

From park benches to purpose-built nature havens, this week’s good news is all about people, place and progress.  Here are three positive stories from the week of April 7-13, 2025…

‘Friendship benches’ bring new form of mental health support to the UK

A revolutionary mental health initiative from Zimbabwe is set to launch in the UK, bringing a unique and compassionate approach to therapy. The Friendship Bench project, which trains female elders, known as ‘community grannies’, as lay counsellors, has already helped over 280,000 people across Zimbabwe since 2007.

Now, the concept is coming to Sussex, where Brighton and Sussex Medical School will pilot the project next month. The pilot will initially focus on supporting migrant and minority ethnic communities.

Inspired by the success of the Zimbabwean model, the UK version will feature trained lay counsellors delivering one-on-one therapy on park benches. Due to the unpredictable British weather, however, sessions will be held indoors. The project aims to alleviate the pressure on NHS mental health services, where wait times for therapy often stretch over many months.

Dr. Nina Lockwood, research fellow at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, explains, “The Friendship Bench offers a peer-support approach that’s been proven successful in several countries. It’s an ideal solution to meet the growing mental health needs in the UK.”

With its emphasis on human connection and community support, the Friendship Bench initiative promises to bring a fresh, accessible way to approach mental health care in the UK.

South London estate becomes haven for homes and wildlife

What was once a postwar housing estate in south-east London has been transformed into a thriving community for both people and nature. The Ferrier Estate in Kidbrooke, Greenwich, demolished in 2009, has made way for Kidbrooke Village — a development of 5,000 homes designed with wildlife in mind.

All the grey concrete blocks are now gone; in their place are redbrick flats overlooking wetlands, ponds and meadows. The River Quaggy, once prone to flooding, now flows through an expanded floodplain that protects homes and businesses while nurturing habitats for newts, kingfishers and more. Bat boxes and “swift bricks” have been built into the architecture, and birdsong fills the air.

David Mooney, chief executive of the London Wildlife Trust, praised the collaboration with developers:
“We were brought in to find a nature-based solution to flooding… but we went further. Nature and housing can be woven together—and people love being in this space.”

With wildflower meadows, children’s play areas, and new nature reserves, the project is proving that new housing doesn’t have to come at the cost of biodiversity. It’s a win-win for wildlife and wellbeing.

Hope in a pill: new breast cancer drug offers precious extra time

A new drug is giving hope to women with advanced breast cancer. Capivasertib — a twice-daily tablet —has now been approved for NHS use in England and recommended for use in Wales, offering a lifeline to more than 1,000 women each year.

When combined with hormone therapy, the treatment can double the time it takes for the cancer to grow and shrink tumours in nearly a quarter of patients — with minimal side effects for many.

“It presents a very effective option that can work for a long time — many months, and in some people it can be years,” said Professor Nick Turner, lead researcher at The Royal Marsden. “It can substantially delay chemotherapy, which many women fear.”

The drug, which has been approved the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), will be funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund in England.