Dean Perryman, 30, from Stratford, East London, has celebrated the 1,000th event of his Empty Chairs campaign, which encourages strangers to sit together in pubs to combat loneliness. The milestone gathering took place in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, with around 12 attendees.
Campaign born from personal tragedy
Perryman started the initiative in December 2025, just a month after his closest friend Rob Clancy died by suicide at age 29. Determined to prevent others from feeling isolated, he began visiting local pubs wearing a bright orange hoodie to make himself easily identifiable. He said: 'It has been such an incredible experience. I am loving every second of it still. When I started it came from such a place of sadness and to see how this simple idea has been able to help so many people has been really nice.'
Expansion across the UK and beyond
Initially launched in London and Essex, the campaign has recruited volunteers to host events throughout the UK, including Manchester, Bedford, Cambridge, Skegness, Gloucester, Leeds, York, and Wrexham. Internationally, events have been planned in Colombia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. Perryman, who works for team-building game company Chicken Rush, used the firm's social media following to promote the meet-ups.
Impact on attendees
Perryman has personally attended 61 gatherings. He notes that many attendees return, especially in smaller rural communities, forming lasting friendships. He said: 'Some people come because they really want someone to listen to what they have to say. Others come because they have the capacity to be there for someone else.' He added: 'Everyone shares their own story, but it stays at the table. We've talked about the difficulty of living in a big city, and feeling isolated, but nothing is off the table – we've spoken about everything and anything.'
Creating a safe space for men
Perryman particularly values seeing men open up about their struggles. He believes the events provide a necessary safe space. He said: 'Every Empty Chairs event you go to you are going to meet people of different walks of life. It is so powerful to show that no matter who you are, there is a place for you. We have everyone – men, women, young, old. There really isn't a barrier to entry for this, whoever needs the space is welcome to come.'
Legacy for his friend
With around 200 further events already scheduled, Perryman hopes the campaign will serve as a lasting legacy for Rob Clancy. He said: 'He was the kindest, sweetest guy you could ever hope to meet. Like a lot of men, he wasn't the biggest sharer. He was very much the life and soul of anywhere you went, but he wasn't someone who would be the first to open up about it if he was feeling some type of way. To now be in a position where Empty Chairs looks like it could be a legacy for Rob is amazing.'
