Community Rail Lancashire has worked with local school children to create a new piece of artwork at Church & Oswaldtwistle Station.
With funding from Community Rail Network’s Community Rail Development Fund, Year 5 pupils from Hippings Methodist and St Paul’s Primary School worked with professional artist Alastair Nicholson, who brought together the children’s ideas to create the theme for the panels. The children even took the train to Community Rail Lancashire’s Eco Hub at Accrington Station for some of their artwork sessions.
On Thursday 14 September, the pupils unveiled the finished artwork at the station, entitled ‘This Is Us’. The finished panels display the pupil’s favourite local landmarks, and perfectly completement the station’s flower beds, which are tended to by the Church & Oswaldtwistle Rotary Club.
Each pupil was presented with a ‘This Is Us’ badge and certificate, as well as a special banner for the schools to also display the children’s artwork.
Mick Cliffe, Chair of East Lancashire CRP and Director of Community Rail Lancashire, said: “Congratulations to all involved in bringing this project together. The children should be very proud of what they’ve created, and the pleasure their efforts will add to the passenger experience.”
Cath Heap, Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary Club Secretary, said: “We at Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary Club are immensely proud of our ‘Rotakids’. They rise to every challenge they are set, and the children from both schools have certainly done that here.
“They have really enjoyed working with and learning from Alastair Nicholson, and have produced some wonderful paintings, resulting in these stunning works of art which showcase our local area.
“Thank you so much to Community Rail Lancashire and Community Rail Network for funding this amazing project and for devoting so much energy and enthusiasm to ensuring a successful outcome, and special thanks of course to Alastair Nicholson, our brilliant artist, for bringing it all together. The artwork is sure to delight rail users at Church and Oswaldtwistle Station for many years to come.”
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