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Mental health charity base in Harlow to get DIY SOS makeover

John Fairhall/BBC Angie HannibalJohn Fairhall/BBC
Although Angie Hannibal does not know what the build will look like until it is finished, she is feeling "all the emotions" towards the project

The co-founder of a mental health charity says she is "excited and overwhelmed" that it has been chosen for a televised makeover.

Angie Hannibal set up Butterfly Effect Wellbeing in Harlow, Essex, in 2019 after her mother took her own life.

The charity, which currently operates out of a temporary building, is to be transformed by the BBC DIY SOS team and a host of local volunteers.

Ms Hannibal said the efforts would "help make her dream a reality".

The team - led by presenter Nick Knowles - will renovate a derelict bungalow into a new wellbeing hub in six days.

Ms Hannibal said: "I always think that when I'm doing something I'm doing it for mum, so it's really helped me to be able to do that.

"I always think that DIY SOS getting involved - mum sent them - so she's pushing us in the right direction, but it's a massive positive."

John Fairhall/BBC Amanda ManningJohn Fairhall/BBC
The company Amanda Manning works for encourages employees to have three days of volunteering a year, and are happy to send as many labourers as the DIY SOS team need

In the first week of seeking volunteers, the team received more than 300 emails from people wanting to help with the build.

Amanda Manning, from grounds maintenance and landscaping company Ground Control, said they wanted to get involved with the project after helping with a previous DIY SOS build.

She said: "In the construction business, in the landscaping industry it's full of predominantly men that don't really want to talk about their feelings and about their mental health.

"It's a perfect project for us to be involved in."

Electrician and presenter Billy Byrne said people were always asking how they can get involved in builds and projects.

He said: "We come here as a little element of DIY SOS, the local people from this community are the ones that will carry this building through."

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