Building Connection and Belonging Across Australia
Belgravia Foundation is celebrating Chatty Champions, a national initiative that has brought people together through conversation, connection, and a renewed sense of belonging.
Across Australia, the need for meaningful social connection has never been more important. Chatty Champions, a collaboration between Belgravia Foundation, Belgravia Leisure, and Chatty Café Australia was created to help reduce loneliness and social isolation by encouraging people to come together for a simple yet powerful purpose, to have a chat.
Launched during Loneliness Awareness Week Australia (4–10 August 2025), the month long initiative took place at 11 Belgravia Leisure venues across the country. Each venue hosted “Have a Chat” tables where community members could pause, connect, and enjoy a friendly conversation in a warm and welcoming environment.
From Burpengary to Barossa, every Belgravia Leisure venue found its own way to bring Chatty Champions to life.
At Manning Aquatic Centre Bathurst (NSW), one regular visitor made the table part of her daily routine. Team member Rowee Stair said, “She would pick a talk card each day and start a conversation with me. It was lovely to share and learn new things about each other.”
Stromlo Leisure Centre (ACT) added sweet treats and coffee to the mix, creating a relaxed space where people could connect and brighten each other’s day.
In Western Australia, B Active East Fremantle hosted the program at Carnaby’s Café, with locals and regulars coming together for friendly chats.
In Victoria, Mill Park Leisure, MOVE Moonee Valley, Keilor East, and Ascot Vale Leisure Centres transformed café areas into vibrant community hubs, while Yarrambat Golf Course ran its Chatty Café sessions in The Grasslands, welcoming members to share a cup and a conversation.
Other participating venues included The Rex Barossa Aquatic & Fitness and Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre in South Australia, as well as Splash Devonport in Tasmania, each creating its own special moments of connection.
An evaluation found that participants reported feeling happier, more connected, and less lonely, with many saying they had made new friends and stayed longer at their local centres. Venue staff also noticed an increase in smiles, laughter, and social interaction, a reflection of how small conversations can have a big impact.
Jeff Walkley, CEO of Belgravia Foundation, said the initiative reflects Belgravia’s ongoing commitment to social inclusion and community wellbeing. “This initiative strongly aligns with Belgravia Foundation’s Social Inclusion Policy and Community Engagement Approach,” Jeff said. “It responds directly to what we continue to hear through our Community Network Forums, that social engagement and connection remain the number one priorities within our communities.”
Glenys Reid, Founder and Managing Director of Chatty Café Scheme Australia, echoed this sentiment, saying, “A friendly chat over a coffee can brighten someone’s day more than you might realise. Chatty Champions creates opportunities for people to connect in relaxed, everyday settings, whether it’s for five minutes or an hour, those small moments can have a lasting impact.”
Through collaboration, creativity, and the enthusiasm of teams across the country, Chatty Champions turned everyday leisure centres into spaces of belonging and inclusion. For many participants, these moments offered more than conversation, they created friendship, purpose, and a reason to return.
Those small moments have now become a movement. Through creativity, care, and collaboration, Belgravia Foundation and Belgravia Leisure have shown that community connection doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is an open chair, a cup of coffee, and the courage to say “hello.”
