London: Catholic students brighten up park with giant mural

A Level students + Shaniah Da Costa, with Cllr M Butt, leader of Brent Council & Kenton Cllr R Colwill

Students from St Gregory’s Catholic Science College in Kenton, northwest London have responded to a request from local residents to help brighten up an area of Woodcock Park, by painting a vibrant mural on a 22 metre wall near their school.

Working to a brief from the Friends of Woodcock Park and the owner of the wall, Mr John Hutton, lower school pupils were asked to submit a design for the mural. The winning design, by Shaniah Da Costa in Year 8, was used as inspiration for the final mural artwork.

With funding granted from Brent Neighbourhood Fund, St Gregory’s Art Department enlisted the help of professional mural artists, Positive Arts, to train A Level students in this specialist art form and work with them, under the guidance of St Gregory’s staff, to create the mural.

Joy Rickman of The Friends of Woodcock Park said: “We are thrilled with the amazing mural produced by St Gregory’s students. It has totally transformed a previously dowdy area of the park and has created a talking point amongst dog walkers and other visitors to the park. We are sincerely grateful to everyone who made this project materialize, in particular to the staff and students at St Gregory’s.”

St Gregory’s Headteacher, Andrew Prindiville, commented: “I am extremely proud of our students and staff, who worked through all weathers to complete this fabulous project. This is a fantastic example of our young people working in partnership with the community to make a tangible improvement to our local environment.”

Today 20 November, local residents, traders and Brent Councillors came to Woodcock Park to meet with St Gregory’s students and admire their colourful mural. Councillor Ruth Moher, Lead Member for Children and Young People at Brent Council said, “This is a great way that a public space can be transformed and enjoyed. It’s a good use of the Brent Neighbourhood Fund’s pot of money. It’s a win for all parties – the users of the park benefit from a vibrant mural, the students take part in a competition and get their creative juices flowing and the Council is able to use the Neighbourhood Fund in this very positive way”.

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