Words by Smiley Team
The Fandangoe Whip is a touring ice cream truck, offering ice cream and mental health support to diverse communities, as the world emerges from the global pandemic and all of its challenges.
Founded by artist Annie Nicholson, otherwise known as The Fandangoe Kid, the project seeks to smash taboos around grief and mental health.
Following the loss of many of Annie's family members in 2011 in an accident in New York City, Annie wants to bring her successful UK tour of The Fandangoe Whip to NYC to mark the 10 year anniversary of the tragic bereavement that has shaped the course of her creative practice – and her life.
But the team needs funding to be able to get there.
[Read more: Woman tours in ice cream van to talk about grief]
The Fandangoe Whip launched in June 2011 and was commissioned by Tate Britain, South London Gallery, Design Museum, University of the Arts London, Latitude Festival and Canary Wharf Arts and Events, reaching over 40,000 people across London and beyond.
From June-October, Annie worked closely with her team to deliver structured workshops, talks and activities offering mental health and grief support through creativity and dialogue. The project concluded at the end of World Mental Health Day 2021 and the truck has been donated to a South London school that Annie has been working closely with.
The school will continue to use the truck as a means for ‘in-house’ mental health support for their young people.
The Fandangoe Whip team is now working on bringing the project to NYC and developing and publishing a mental health resource accessible to all.
Annie is hoping to raise £6,700 in the next month to reach her target to take the truck to New York City. Can you help her get there?
Donate to Annie's crowdfunder on Kickstarter. You can also find out more about Annie on her website Fandangoe Kid.
