'Why I'm hosting a table full of strangers'

How would you feel about striking up a conversation in a pub with a stranger?

Helen Woodward, from Earlsdon, was browsing social media when she came upon an anti-loneliness campaign that encouraged people to do just that.

Empty Chairs get-togethers, where hosts book a table but leave a few seats empty, were dreamed up by a man in Essex after the death of his best friend, and the idea has since gone global.

Yoga teacher Woodward was keen to get involved and seeing nothing planned in her local community, decided to set something up.

The Coventry event is happening in Gonzo on Earlsdon Street from midday on Thursday.

Woodward will be wearing an orange jumper so she can be easily spotted, and attendees can stay for as little or as long as they like.

"There's no barrier to coming, you don't have to book, you don't have to pre-plan," she said.

"It's a welcoming space and actually you can come, just have a drink, stay for half an hour."

While her work introduces her to a lot of people, she explained she sometimes found herself at a loose end between classes.

Her own social group has grown around other mums she met in the playground, but she has found herself needing to reach out more now her daughter is a teenager.

"There's certain times in your life where you naturally meet people, then perhaps a point in your life where that stops and that's when you have to be quite proactive about seeking out new groups or finding other ways," she said.

Drawn to schemes that make a difference in her community, Thursday's Empty Chairs event will be her first.

"Sometimes you have to just do something positive," she said. "I'm curious about people, so I'm happy to ask a question, sit back and just let them talk.

"If you just do one thing, it can be a real boost to your confidence. It's just taking that one step. Just doing something that you're a little bit scared of."

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