Mitchells & Butlers, the UK’s leading restaurant and pub company, has announced a new national partnership with The Chatty Cafe Scheme, to create spaces for coffee, conversation and connection.

They will offer weekly hosted “Chatter & Natter” sessions in more than 60 of its Toby Carvery, Harvester and Stonehouse sites in England and Wales.

Local people will be encouraged to drop in for a friendly chat once a week over a cup of tea or coffee or attend one of the monthly lunch events.

As part of the initiative, they aim to recruit a total of 240 volunteer hosts to welcome guests and help spark conversation.

Martin Nelson, Divisional Director (Restaurants Division) at pub and restaurant company Mitchells & Butlers, who own Toby Carvery said: “Hospitality is, at its heart, about making people feel welcome and our pubs have traditionally been at the heart of the community.

“By partnering with The Chatty Cafe Scheme, we’re using our scale and our spaces to help address loneliness, one of the biggest social challenges facing communities.

“Whether it’s over a coffee in the morning or a cuppa in the afternoon, we want our pubs and restaurants to be welcoming spaces where people feel comfortable coming in on their own and leaving feeling part of something.”

The Chatty Cafe Scheme, the UK’s leading social enterprise designed to combat isolation runs more than 750 ‘Chatter & Natter’ tables in venues across the UK helping more than 30,000 people over the last 10 years.

This new collaboration with Mitchells & Butlers represents a significant step forward in their corporate partnership work.

Mitchells & Butlers – Restricted Alex Hoskyn, Founder of The Chatty Cafe Scheme, said: “Partnering with Mitchells & Butlers allows us to reach more people, in more places, than ever before.

“Toby Carvery, Harvester and Stonehouse are already at the heart of their local communities. By introducing Chatter & Natter tables, they are creating simple, welcoming spaces where anyone can come in, have a coffee, and know they’re not alone.”

The programme will also focus on building stronger links with local communities, including GP surgeries, social prescribers, councils, charities and carers’ organisations, encouraging referrals to the sessions and helping venues become part of local wellbeing networks.

Recruitment of volunteer hosts is now underway across all participating locations, offering the opportunity for people who want to give a little time to make a big difference.

Businesses wishing to support the scheme can find more information here:

To become a volunteer host visit: www.thechattycafescheme.co.uk