ARTRIX has accepted a challenge to raise more than £4,000 in a week, to win funds to deliver a two-year mental health programme for Bromsgrove's youngsters.

The Slideslow Drive theatre will take part in 2017's Big Give Christmas Challenge - a match funding scheme - from November 28 to December 5.

In order to win the £4,253 donation, Artrix must raise the same again in online donations.

The money will enable to theatre to deliver new workshops for young people, schools and community groups, as well as a mental health youth arts festival programmed for spring 2018.

It will also allow Artrix's resident company of emerging artists, Outspoken, to further develop their recent production, named Hyped, which also covers the theme of youth mental health.

Artrix director Hannah Phillips said: "This country is in the midst of a mental health crisis, with suicide the most common cause of death for boys aged between five to 19 years, and the second most common for girls of this age.

"With the help of The Big Give Christmas Challenge, new plays like Hyped are being produced by Artrix and made specifically with these young people in mind and can make a real difference by highlighting mental health issues and helping local youngsters.”

In order for the donations received during The Big Give Challenge to count towards the match funding total, they must be donated through the Big Give website, instead of the Artrix website or front-of-house donation boxes.

Shoppers in Bromsgrove town centre on Saturday, December 2 can find out more about the challenge from 11am to 1pm.

Artrix staff will also be on-hand during The Big Give week to help visitors to securely donate on the tablet computers in the theatre foyer.

The website will open to donations at 12pm on Tuesday, November 28. Visit secure.thebiggive.org.uk/project/28556 for more information.