Dean Perryman launched the Empty Chairs campaign after the suicide of his best friend as a simple offer: an empty seat, a willing listener and no pressure. The campaign’s meet-ups — often identified by volunteers in a bright orange hoodie — are volunteer-hosted gatherings in pubs intended to make reaching out in public feel easier. If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
What is the Empty Chairs campaign?
The Empty Chairs campaign was started by Perryman in the wake of the death of his friend Rob Clancy. Perryman has said the name refers to the gap left when someone is missing from a table and that his aim was to create approachable places where strangers could find company. He has discussed the effort with news agency SWNS and local reporters, describing it as informal and intentionally low-key.
Perryman also works for team-building game company Chicken Rush and used social media to encourage volunteers to host additional meet-ups. Organizers say the tone is simple: meet-up hosts wear bright orange hoodies so people who want company can spot them, and tables often have an extra seat available for anyone who wants to sit down.
How the meet-ups work
Meet-ups are designed to be walk-up friendly. There is usually no sign-up, no cost and no formal agenda — just a public table with an open chair and volunteers who will listen. Volunteers and attendees are encouraged to set respectful boundaries: hosts are there to provide company, not clinical care.
According to Perryman and reporting based on organizers’ accounts, hosts aim to create a calm, public environment that reduces the friction of asking for company. The presence of a bright orange hoodie is meant to be a visible, nonthreatening cue that someone is available to talk.
Where it has grown and event scale
The campaign began in Stratford and nearby Essex towns and spread across the U.K. to cities including Manchester, Bedford, Cambridge, Skegness, Gloucester, Leeds, York and Wrexham. Perryman and organizers say events have also been held internationally, with meet-ups reported in Colombia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.
Perryman told SWNS that he held what was described as the program’s 1,000th meet-up in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, attended by about a dozen people. He also told reporters he has personally attended 61 events and that organizers had roughly 200 more scheduled. Those counts are provided by Perryman and campaign organizers and have not been independently verified by The Nonstop News.
Who attends and what people say
Attendance varies by location and time. Organizers report many repeat visitors, particularly in smaller towns where regular meet-ups can help people form local friendships. Reporting from SWNS and local outlets quotes attendees describing the gatherings as welcoming places to connect.
Short remarks captured by reporting include: “Some people come because they really want someone to listen,” and “It is so powerful to show that, no matter who you are, there is a place for you.” Perryman has also noted that creating a space where men can feel comfortable opening up has been an important part of the campaign’s purpose.
Those who run or attend Empty Chairs events say they are proud of small, tangible outcomes: a returned attendee, a new acquaintance, a person who decided to seek further help. At the same time, organizers and reporters caution that the initiative is grassroots and anecdotal in its evidence.
Safety, limits and support resources
The Empty Chairs campaign offers peer support in public settings, not professional mental-health treatment. Organizers emphasize boundaries: volunteers are not counsellors, and meet-ups are not a substitute for clinical care or emergency services.
If you are in immediate crisis or are worried about someone, contact trained services right away. In the U.S., call 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). These numbers connect callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for help from trained responders. For local emergency services outside the U.S., contact your country’s emergency number or local crisis resources.
Organizers encourage people who need more than peer support to reach out to professionals, crisis lines or healthcare providers rather than relying solely on peer meet-ups.
Background and what comes next
Perryman says the campaign grew out of personal grief and a desire to honour his friend by making public spaces more inviting for those who feel alone. Volunteers continue to recruit hosts and schedule meet-ups, often relying on social media and community noticeboards to share dates and locations.
Because the campaign is informal, experiences can vary by host and town. Organizers acknowledge those limits and describe Empty Chairs as one piece of a broader net of community support rather than a standalone solution.
FAQ
How can I join an Empty Chairs meet-up?
Look for local posts from organizers or social pages promoting upcoming meet-ups. At an event, a volunteer wearing a bright orange hoodie and an extra chair at a pub table is typically the signal that the table is open to newcomers.
Are Empty Chairs events safe for people in crisis?
Empty Chairs provides peer support in public settings. It is not a crisis service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
Who started the Empty Chairs campaign and why?
Dean Perryman started the campaign after the suicide of his best friend, Rob Clancy, aiming to create simple, approachable opportunities for people to find company in public spaces.
Resources
If you need immediate help: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For local crisis resources outside the U.S., contact your country’s emergency services or local mental-health helplines.
Note: Attendance figures and event counts cited in this piece come from Dean Perryman and campaign organizers and were reported to SWNS and local outlets. These figures have not been independently verified by The Nonstop News.
Source: SWNS; Fox News. Original reporting referenced: https://www.foxnews.com/health/man-turns-tragic-loss-best-friend-suicide-urgent-outreach-lonely-strangers
