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Art in the Park
A drab wall at Northumberland Heath Recreation Ground was hit by an explosion of colour last month, thanks to an artistic young person from Howbury Youth Centre.
Darrel Laing, aged 17, approached youth workers with an idea for a mural and, with their help applied for a grant from the Youth Opportunity Fund. The application was successful and armed with some expert help and several tins of paint, Darrel and five friends set about transforming the 35m wall during half-term.
“This colourful and eye-catching mural is a great example of how public art can lift an area,” said Cabinet Member for Leisure, Arts and Tourism, Cllr Peter Catterall. “It has been wonderful to hear residents talking about this fantastic addition to their local park and I congratulate all those involved on their hard work in this project.”
Everyone working on the mural had a great week planning, designing and then painting the wall and all are really pleased with the results. “It looks good and it gave us something useful to do with our time,” said Slade Green resident, Darrel.
“I’ve had a brilliant week,” said a fellow member of the team Ryan Hull, 14.
Youth workers hope that the new artwork will reduce and prevent incidents of illegal graffiti at the park.
To find out more about Youth Services in Bexley call 020 8855 4046 or email youth@bexley.gov.uk.
MP
DEFENDS NURSERY
Thamesmead’s MP, John Austin has written to the Education Minister and to Bexley Council in an attempt to save a Children’s Nursery from closure. The nursery, run by the Business Academy Bexley has threatened to close in the autumn. On Monday 18th June John Austin met a delegation of parents and staff and will be attending a further meeting on Friday.
In the meantime, he took the opportunity of raising the issue with the Minister of State, Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, when she visited a school in Plumstead on Tuesday.
John Austin slammed the decision taken by the Academy and said. “The Academy received nearly half a million pounds from the government to set up and run the nursery for a period of 3 years, after which they accepted the responsibility to run it as do other providers under the neighbourhood nursery initiative. They call themselves a Business Academy but it doesn’t say much for their business acumen or their business plan that they say they cannot afford to run it any longer. It shows the problem in farming out provision to private providers with no track record of running nurseries.
“Not only did the Academy receive money from the nursery fund but they have also had other public money towards the buildings from the Single Regeneration Budget. It does beg the question whether they had any intention of running the nursery long-term or whether they wanted the buildings for their own use.”
John Austin added; “This is a vital facility in an area of deprivation enabling many parents to get off benefit and into work. If the nursery closes many will have to give up working and go back on benefit. Some may not be able to afford their housing costs. A way must be found to save this project.”
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Jamelia will be headlining this year’s Trust Thamesmead Summer Festival which co-insides with Thamesmead’s 40th birthday. Keeping in theme, acts from the last four decades, including Showaddywaddy, The Real Thing, Sybil, Antony Costa, The Honeyz and Trust Thamesmead’s T Factor winners Audio Hawk will all be performing on stage.
Click here for for more details |
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