The giant mural was created as part of our project to transform a run-down canal junction. We've been working with volunteers for over a year to breathe new life into Fazeley Junction where the Coventry Canal meets the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.
The junction was looking a bit tired until we enlisted the help of our Tamworth Towpath Taskforce group of volunteers. The team quickly got to work tidying the junction, clearing litter, removing graffiti and putting up new fences. Over time the team hopes to do even more and create a canalside garden.
Wildlife-inspired mural
To complement the team's efforts local arts group New Urban Era have now created a wildlife-inspired mural on what used to be a graffiti blighted wall. The wall, which belongs to H & G Gould Timber Merchants, has been entirely repainted and detailed paintings of a kingfisher and robin added by freelance artist Steve Edwards.
Tom Freeland, volunteer coordinator for the Canal & River Trust said: “This is the culmination of a volunteer-led project to reclaim and restore busy Fazeley Junction for the benefit of the local community. Over the last year, our volunteers have weeded, mulched, cleared rubbish, put up a new fence and removed graffiti from the site, and this mural will really set off their efforts. We look forward to maintaining and enhancing it as we continue our plans to create the Junction Garden and if anyone wants to help us we'd love to hear from them.”
New Urban Era founder Vic Brown said; “We are delighted to have worked with the Canal & River Trust on this Fazeley project. Not only is the mural visually pleasing but also educates visitors about the wildlife that can be seen and heard along the regions canals and rivers. We hope the project will positively inspire the general public and further organisations to engage in the arts."
