Chris Gaskin from Broadstone is launching Happy Creations, a new arts and crafts shop at Broadstone Business Centre, which he hopes will inspire both adults and children to explore art, creativity and support their mental health well-being.
Chris, 42, previously worked in the NHS IT department for ten years but found himself struggling during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
He took six months off work to deal with depression, anxiety, and acrophobia, and it was during this time that he discovered the therapeutic power of crafting.
He said: “It was pretty full-on and stressful. Coming out of COVID, I’m happy to talk about it now.
“I had six months off work for mental health issues, depression, anxiety, acrophobia. I went through therapy and medication, and one of the things that helped me overcome my fear of going out and meeting people was teaching myself to crochet.”
Chris said: “It took about a month to get the shop ready, with a lot of love and support from my family. We’re creating a little independent arts and crafts supply shop.
He added: “We’ll also be running birthday parties, workshops, and kids’ craft mornings to help people express themselves and improve their well-being.”
He said: “It’s all hands-on deck at the minute to get everything ready.
“It’s a small family business and I really want it to be a place where people feel comfortable. I plan to run workshops to teach crochet and other crafts, and to create a safe, creative space especially for people who might be struggling with their mental health.”
He added: “There’s still such a stigma attached to men’s mental health. Going through it myself made me realise how important it is to talk about it and have a support network.”
