#217: Mending for Mental Wellbeing with Rebecca from The Big Fandango

Zoe Edwards· Host0:00

Okay, trigger warning. This episode includes references to suicide. There are no details or specifics, however, the recordings were made at an event that was hosted by an organization with the primary objective of suicide prevention. So please switch this off if you feel this episode might be detrimental to your current state of wellbeing. Right. All of us are aware of and enjoy many of the mental health benefits of crafting, making, and mending. Rebecca Jackson understands this better than most, having experienced one of the worst things someone can go through. It led her to set up The Big Fandango five years ago in Bury, just outside Manchester in the UK. The Big Fandango is a social enterprise with workshop space that creates and nurtures community and positive mental health through learning sewing and textile craft skills, whilst also delivering suicide prevention training to businesses and organizations. I was there with Gina Wigger and Mary Morton, authors of the awesome mending book, Stitch It, Don't Ditch It, who were delivering a mending workshop as part of their North of England tour a couple of weeks ago. So stick around a few minutes to hear about the power and impact that sewing can have for those who need it most. Welcome to Check Your Thread, the podcast that will help you sew more sustainably. [upbeat music] My name's Zoe and I'm obsessed with sewing. I've been blogging about it for over 17 years and I'm the creator and host of the popular handmade wardrobe challenge, Me Made May. But like many people, I've become increasingly concerned about the climate and ecological crises, and I'm looking at the way that my lifestyle contributes to them. So in this podcast, I'll be nerding