How EastEnders Stars and the DIY SOS Team are Transforming a Community Project to Improve Mental Health
Key Highlights :
The cast of EastEnders have joined forces with Nick Knowles and the DIY SOS team to help transform a community project in Harlow, which is dedicated to improving mental health. The project, Butterfly Effect Well-Being, which runs a range of groups to bring people together and improve mental health, is currently operating out of a portacabin and is in desperate need of the DIY SOS team. The project has been gifted an empty building by Harlow Council, but it is "in a state of disrepair" and needs extensive internal and external works to make it fit for purpose.
Nick Knowles, presenter of DIY SOS, said: “This is a special project that does so much to help the community in Harlow and I can’t wait to get stuck in with our EastEnders friends and see this amazing build come together. As always, we wouldn’t be able to deliver such important projects without the generosity of our brilliant volunteers, so if you have a trade or can help us with materials then get in touch!”
The EastEnders stars will don their hard hats and join an army of volunteers to create a new Harlow building for Butterfly Effect Well-Being, enabling the project to offer its services to more people in need of help with issues including social isolation and self-harm. The project was set up by Angela Hannibal after she lost her mum to suicide. Her mum had struggled for years with poor mental health and after she died, Angela decided to quit her career as a pharmacist to try to help people like her.
Catherine Catton, BBC head of commissioning, factual entertainment and events, commented: “This is a fantastic collaboration between EastEnders and DIY SOS which will transform a truly deserving project. We are so looking forward to seeing the build come together for Butterfly Effect Well-Being and helping Angela and her team provide support to even more people.”
DIY SOS is appealing for tradespeople including; electricians, plumbers, carpenters, plasterers and decorators to offer support with the transformation in October. There will be a trades day held in Harlow on Tuesday October 3. Those interested in volunteering or donating products to this charitable build must email before trades day to arrange an appointment to meet with the team. The build will take place from Wednesday October 25 to Tuesday October 31. The EastEnders stars taking part in the episode will be announced ahead of broadcast later in 2023.
The project will help to create a warm and welcoming hub, where anyone in the community can go for help, support and company when they most need it. It is hoped that the transformation of the building will be a huge success and will help to improve mental health in Harlow and beyond.
