New Mural at Coate Water

South Swindon Parish Council  commissioned No Added Sugar, a specialist participatory arts organisation managed by professional artists, Toni and Gordon Dickinson, to paint a mural in the underpass nearest Coate Water in October 2018. They were to do this with Lawn Primary as a partnership school. The first underpass suggested was too damp, with water coming up from underground drains and running down the walls. It was agreed with the Parish Clerk that they would paint the underpass under Queen's Drive instead. They needed to wait for good weather to allow paint to dry in between the 14 classes of children taking part.
The end of the summer term was chosen to paint the mural, on Day 1, 60  Reception children arrived at 10am, followed by 60 year 1 pupils at 11am, quite a challenge to manage so many children with paint brushes! Over the 3 days 420 children contributed to the mural, and really enjoyed the time when they could paint freely. We had hoped that the mural would be completed before the South West in Bloom judging on 11 July, but this wasn't possible. However the mural is spectacular, and well worth visiting the underpass to see it.

I took several photographs as I walked through

The mural is a mass of flowers

and here's a close up of one flower

It's hard to choose a favourite part, they're all so good.

Aren't they?

It was lovely to be at the presentation Toni Dickinson gave to the Parish, as she outlined the mural painting and other work they have done with many other groups over the last 20 years.