The centre of Newton Abbot will have a comfier feel next Wednesday (August 21) with the addition of a snug sofa. The homely street furniture will enable anyone, from armchair critics to passers-by, to take a seat and chat to council staff and advice specialists on a range of issues.

The brainchild of Teignbridge Community and Voluntary Services (CVS), ‘The Sofa’ initiative responds to research by Teignbridge District Council, which showed that many residents found it difficult to contact them.

Teignbridge CVS hopes ‘The Sofa’, where no appointment is necessary, will help people who might not have the time to seek help in the conventional way. Residents will be able to grab a seat and access information and advice on issues such as benefits, housing and council services.

After its debut in Newton Abbot, the sofa will tour high streets and market squares around Teignbridge to enable passers-by to take a seat and chat with staff from Teignbridge District Council and staff from Citizens’ Advice with any concerns or questions.

‘We are excited to launch this community-focused project with the council and other partners, providing a much-needed advisory service for Teignbridge residents,’ said Teignbridge CVS chief executive Susan Wroe. ‘We challenged ourselves to come up with a fun but practicable solution that would enable council officers to get out into the community where they could listen to and answer their customers’ questions,’ she added.

For updates on the sofa tour and to find out where it’s headed next visit https://www.teigncvs.org.uk/projects/the-sofa