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Art exhibition to raise awareness of domestic abuse and mental health

An art exhibition will be held at the West End Centre, in Aldershot, from September 4, to raise awareness of domestic abuse and mental health issues.

Called “Reach Out”, the exhibition launches to a private, invited audience on September 3, at the centre in Queens Road, at 6.30pm, before opening to the public from September 4.

The aim of the exhibition is to demonstrate how art can be used as a means of expressing feelings or as a coping mechanism, with a particular focus on domestic abuse and mental health.

Councillor Simon Bound, chairman of the Safer North Hampshire Partnership, said: “I hope local people will come along and visit this art exhibition, which explores important subjects such as abuse and mental health issues, and how art can be used as a means of expression.”

The exhibition will be open to the public until September 27.

Artwork for the exhibition has been produced by members of various support groups, including the Just Wellbeing Centre Arts Group; Creative Art based at Odiham Hospital; You Trust domestic abuse refuge and outreach clients; Breakout Youth (LGBT support for young people) and the Vine Centre, for vulnerable young people, based in Aldershot. A group of women working with the Probation Service are jointly producing a collage.

In addition, a local Hart artist has created some artwork to raise awareness of his mental health struggles and there will be a photograph of a section of a very large collage which was professionally produced, linking the common way in which victims of domestic abuse describe having to walk on egg shells.

All artwork has been specifically created for this event or are ones which the artists are particularly proud of.

There will also be some photographic images produced by a young woman, who will be speaking at the event. Sadly, her mother was murdered by her partner and now she uses art as a means of coping with her experiences.

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