The Bench by Isy Suttie

Clare has recently moved to Lyme Regis with her young son as her marriage has fallen apart. She doesn’t know anyone in the town but finds a moment of solace every day after the school run – a paddle in the sea, then a moment on the bench close to the beach café where she sits with a cup of tea. One day she leaves her cup on the bench and the next day there’s a note pinned to it admonishing her for doing so, saying it’s hazardous to wildlife. She is enraged and replies to the note saying it was a moment of absent-mindedness and what makes this person so perfect? She thinks that will be the end of it, but the next day there’s a note of apology – the sender of the note, Daniel, is a bird-lover sick of teenagers leaving litter around. Over the next few weeks, Clare and Daniel begin to form a written friendship of sorts, leaving each other notes on the bench.

Clare is beginning to settle into her new life but is then distracted by her ex wanting to visit and a mysterious package left on the bench for her on Valentine's Day.

A story about courage and new beginnings.

Written and read by Isy Suttie
Produced by Alison Crawford