A community wellbeing project born in Malborough, Devon — with a bigger idea in mind
Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference.
A conversation. A smile. A kind word. A place to pause. A reminder that you are not alone.
And sometimes, an old red telephone box can become the starting point for something much bigger.
Here in the village of Malborough, just a few miles from Salcombe and surrounded by the beautiful South Hams countryside, one very ordinary-looking red telephone box has been given a completely new purpose. Welcome to the Well-U-Box — a little community space created to help bring greater awareness to mental health, wellbeing and positivity.
The idea came from Alistair at Brightham House, who wanted to create something that could be given back to the village he is so proud to be part of.
As someone who has always been a firm supporter of mental health awareness, Alistair wanted to create a simple, accessible space where people could stop for a moment, have a think, discover something useful, perhaps take something away with them — and, most importantly, feel that they are part of a community.
And so, the Well-U-Box began its journey.
From red telephone box to community wellbeing hub
Malborough’s old telephone box has already had a new lease of life as a community book exchange. Rather than taking that away, the idea was to build on what was already there.
The Well-U-Box brings together books, wellbeing information, positivity, community sharing and simple acts of kindness, creating a little space that anyone can use.
There are books for children, young people and adults, with a particular focus on wellbeing and self-help. Visitors are encouraged to browse, borrow, swap and donate books.
There are also little touches inspired by the natural world and the wonderful sense of community that exists in village life — including seed swaps and a help-yourself vegetable box.
It isn’t intended to be complicated.
In fact, quite the opposite.
The Well-U-Box is about making wellbeing feel approachable.
You don’t need an appointment. You don’t need to sign up. You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.
You can simply open the door and step inside.
The Tree of Positivity
At the heart of the Well-U-Box is something particularly special — The Tree of Positivity.
Created inside the old telephone box, the tree provides a place for visitors to leave a little piece of positivity behind.
Perhaps it is a favourite quote. A few words of encouragement. A reminder that helped you through a difficult day. Something you would like somebody else to hear.
Visitors can write their own message on a small tag and hang it on the tree.
It could be as simple as “You’ve got this.”
Or “Be kind to yourself.”
Or perhaps something that means something personal to you.
The idea is that, over time, the tree becomes covered with messages from the people who have visited — a physical reminder that positivity can be shared, and that sometimes a few words can make someone feel a little happier, a little stronger or simply a little less alone.
And if you would rather not hang your message on the tree, there is another way to leave it behind.
The important thing is that you have taken a moment to think about positivity.
A space to feel okay
The Well-U-Box carries a simple message:
A space to feel okay.
Because none of us feels fantastic all of the time.
Life can be busy, stressful, lonely, confusing or overwhelming. Mental health can affect any one of us, at any age and at any stage of life.
The Well-U-Box isn’t there to replace professional help, counselling or medical support. Instead, it is about awareness, connection and signposting — helping people discover information and resources that might be useful and reminding them that support is available.
There is also a social media connection where people can follow the Well-U-Box and discover local and national sources of wellbeing information and advice.
Sometimes the first step towards getting help is simply knowing where to look.
Why Alistair wanted to do it
For Alistair, the Well-U-Box is about giving something back.
Brightham House has been part of the Malborough community for many years, and living and working in a village gives you a real appreciation of just how important community can be.
We often talk about looking after our physical health — eating well, exercising, getting outside and taking time to relax.
But looking after our minds is just as important.
Alistair wanted to create something tangible that could sit right in the middle of the village and quietly say:
It’s okay to talk. It’s okay not to feel okay. It’s okay to ask for help. And it’s okay to look after yourself.
There is something rather lovely about that message coming from an old telephone box.
Once upon a time, people went into a phone box to connect with someone.
Today, the Well-U-Box has a different kind of connection at its heart.
Could the Well-U-Box inspire other communities?
This is where Alistair hopes the idea can grow.
The Well-U-Box was created specifically for Malborough, but the idea doesn’t have to stop here.
In fact, Alistair’s wish is that other villages, towns and cities will get in touch and replicate the model within their own communities.
Imagine old telephone boxes, community spaces or forgotten corners being transformed into small wellbeing hubs.
Imagine a network of communities creating their own Trees of Positivity.
Imagine people sharing books, information, seeds, food, ideas and — most importantly — kindness.
Every community is different, so every Well-U-Box could be different too.
Perhaps one community creates a wellbeing library. Another creates a quiet reflection space. Another concentrates on young people’s mental health. Another might focus on loneliness among older residents.
There is no single answer to wellbeing.
But there is one common starting point:
Start the conversation.
From Malborough, with love
The Well-U-Box is deliberately small.
It isn’t a grand building or an expensive facility. It doesn’t need to be.
It is a simple community idea that says something incredibly important: we care about how people feel.
And perhaps that is exactly where change begins.
At Brightham House, we are incredibly proud that Alistair has been able to bring this idea to life and give it to the village of Malborough.
We hope people will use it, enjoy it, contribute to it and make it their own.
We hope children discover books, visitors leave a positive message, someone finds a piece of information that helps them, and perhaps someone who has been having a difficult time discovers a little reminder that they are not alone.
And we hope the idea travels much further.
So, if you’re reading this from another village, town or city and you’re thinking “We could do something like this” — that’s exactly the point.
Get in touch.
Take the idea. Adapt it. Make it yours.
Because the Well-U-Box isn’t really about an old red telephone box.
It’s about people.
It’s about community.
It’s about starting a conversation.
And it’s about taking one small step towards making our communities happier, kinder and more supportive places to live.
The Well-U-Box — A space to feel okay.
Created in Malborough, Devon, with the hope that the idea will inspire communities everywhere.