A NOT-for-profit community arts centre has launched, aiming to use arts and crafts to support mental health.

The Big Fandango is on Bolton Street in Bury, and the opening was attended by Tottington councillor Yvonne Wright.

Rebecca Jackson, the centre’s founder, started the venture after losing her daughter, Elspeth to suicide. She wanted to prevent the same thing happening to others and support those who had gone through similar experiences.

After the loss of her daughter, Rebecca noticed what she felt was a lack of suicide bereavement support or night schools focussing on arts and crafts.

Rebecca, a fibre and textile artist, was then commissioned by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to run a project to design the Speak Their Names quilt, made up of 54 squares, each one uniquely designed by someone bereaved by suicide, which was displayed at the launch.

She said: “We really aim to empower people to come along and do fun stuff, stop them from reaching crisis point and feeling like they have no option.

“It has been a difficult journey after the loss of my daughter, but this is a way for me to carry on her light.

“People are having more conversations about mental health, bereavement and suicide, which needs to continue so that we can remove the stigma.”

The centre has received funding from Bury Council, the National Lottery and 40 other organisations and businesses.

Rebecca added: “This place has been largely funded by the local community, businesses, councillors and people, who have been so generous with their money and time.

“We hope to become a vibrant hub in Bury, and want to collaborate with other groups in the area.”

Bereavement peer support groups will be held on the second Thursday of each month with knitting workshops on Wednesday afternoons and men’s health sessions on Tuesday nights.