Purple Bench Micro Grants
In 2021, thanks to the generosity of Linkwest and the Loftus Community Centre Management Committee, a further 15 purple benches have been installed at Centres across Western Australia.
The Linkwest Purple Bench Micro Grants assist Linkwest member Centres with the cost of materials to transform an existing bench, or to subsidise the cost of purchasing a new bench.
Purple benches were launched in 2015 in Canada, where they are located in public parks to honour the memory of women murdered by their partners and to provide help for people experiencing Domestic Violence.
"…by placing the purple bench in a very public area I hoped that not only would it be a symbol to honour the victims of family and domestic violence (FDV), but that it would generate conversation, raise awareness, show people that may be experiencing FDV that we support and acknowledge them and to provide numbers for people needing help" explains Petra Thompson from Denmark Community Resource Centre.
In part due to Linkwest's three completed micro grant rounds, our network of Centres is part of a growing footprint of purple benches across Western Australia, providing a highly visible reminder of the issue of Domestic Violence. This micro grant program has now helped with the installation of 47 purple benches at Centres across WA so far.