A WOMAN who suffers from mental health problems is fundraising to create a community choir that will help other people.

Kerri Byman, 28, from Fulford, has set up a Just Giving page to try and raise £3,000 so she can start a community choir, entitled York Nurturing Community Choir, that will bring together people in the city who are suffering with mental health problems.

She said: “In February last year my life turned upside down when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia restless leg syndrome, which causes my legs to often go into spasm. Until my illness I was a highly active person, working as a healthcare assistant at York Hospital.

“My diagnoses meant I couldn’t do the things I did before, such as dancing with my four-year old daughter, Isabelle. I started to struggle with my mental health, which quickly deteriorated, causing me to rarely leave the house. I felt like I had lost the person I once was.

“I decided I needed to go back to the fun person that I used to be and I thought it would be fantastic to start a community choir for people like me, struggling with mental health issues and I could share my love of music with others.”

Mrs Byman added that the the weekly choir will be open to people with mental health issues, their families, friends and carers.

She said: “We have applied for several grants but to get the company started we need funding for start up equipment, musical instruments, microphones and a singing teacher. Once we are up and running we can operate on a donation basis so everybody who wants to can join.

"The choir will provide a safe space for people affected by all these issues to develop their love of music, meet new people and support each other in a welcoming environment.

"The benefits of music through the choir we will be encouraging people to express themselves and to take opportunities that perhaps were not open to them before.

"They won’t need to suffer alone anymore, they can meet like minded people and we can become a support system for one another, whilst letting off some steam and singing out hearts out to some feel good songs, helping to address their issues whether they are the early stages of mental illness, or have been living with it for some time.

"Alongside the group singing there will be the opportunity for people to join in with percussion instruments thus helping with cognitive and motor skills. No matter what the ability no one will be excluded."

To donate visit https://bit.ly/2J8UHOL, or the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/York-Nurturing-Community-Choir-2246743238691299/.