News, The Wave | All of them would do the stunt again: – It’s just been absolutely fantastic!

Stangeby is an adviser in the children and family service in Larvik, and works closely with the Ung Arena initiative, which is a free service for young people in Larvik between the ages of 13 and 24, with a focus on mental health.

She was one of several who stood with tears in their eyes when the main hall in Bølgen was filled to the brim on 17 April during the premiere of Dag Erik Pedersen’s performance “Master in my own life”.

– It really was a special evening, says Fosse Stangeby.

– We are eternally grateful to both Dag Erik and Bølgen who both did this as a charity and gave the proceeds to Ung Arena.

She had the support of colleague and operations manager at Ung Arena, Vemund Aspeggen.

– Now we have a meeting place for young people that many people in Larvik are talking about. They know what we are and that we are here. It has great value for us. I would like to thank everyone involved.

Big sum

Linn Ambjørnsen in Bølgen believes that the evening shows how much can be achieved when people go in the same direction.

– This goes to the core of our social mission. We must be an inclusive house for everyone, she says.

– Young people and mental health are so incredibly important. I would also like to make sure to extend an extra thank you to David Morris Blikstad, who contributed with all the technical stuff.

Ambjørnsen says that all tickets for the performance were sold out, and that extra seats were freed up.

– In total, we ended up with ticket sales of just over NOK 113,000. The money goes directly to Ung Arena.

In addition, informs Elin Fosse Stangeby in Ung Arena, a Vipps has been created. So far, NOK 14,000 has been collected from the campaign.

Stretch out a hand

The performance was a collaboration between Bølgen, Dag Erik Pedersen and Østlands-Posten. It was Pedersen who contacted editor-in-chief Eirik Haugen with the idea for a show that would focus on mental health.

– I immediately thought yes, says Haugen.

I hope that I may have helped someone who is struggling to think differently. There are so many more than we think. And there we have to step in and extend a hand. Show that we care. I hope that the project has contributed to that.

Day Erik Pedersen

– As a local newspaper, we must embrace Larvik, and I hope that this project has contributed to that. Everyone has done this diligently, and I would like to brag about Bølgen, who has taken the project head on with his professionalism. And not least Dag Erik, who has been brave and shared the most painful and private things with the public.

Dag Erik Pedersen does not regret calling editor Haugen.

– I met a lot of warmth from the audience. And I always had Simen’s voice in my head, saying: – You get this for dad!

Pedersen lost his son Simen to suicide a few years ago.

– This performance is, after all, the behind-the-scenes film about my life. I hope that I may have helped someone who is struggling to think differently. There are so many more than we think. And there we have to step in and extend a hand. Show that we care. I hope that the project has contributed to that.

You can still support Ung Arena and the campaign at Vipps. The number is 545803.