Pupils Put Art At Heart Of North East Community

Collaborative artwork showcasing a series of North East landmarks has captured the imagination of a Tyneside community this Christmas.

Budding artists at St Alban’s Catholic Primary School in Pelaw, Gateshead, were invited to submit ideas for a mural designed to brighten up an exterior wall.

And after sixth formers at Cardinal Hume Catholic Secondary School stepped in to develop their initial drafts, local artist Geri Mole was commissioned to complete the job.

Both schools are part of the Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust (BWCET) and the trust’s CEO, Nick Hurn, said: “The Wall Mural has been completed to bring joy and colour to the local community and to celebrate local landmarks.

“It also celebrates a happy and vibrant school — St Alban’s has been here since 1927.

“The Wall Mural is the result of a combination of talents, starting with the initial ideas from the children at St Alban’s.

“Then it was over to Tim Cornley, Head of Art at Cardinal Hume and the sixth form students to work on those ideas before they handed everything over to Geri.

“But that’s not all! Staff and parents helped with the painting and we shouldn’t forget the fundraising that took place over the summer to ensure the project was completed.

“It really has been a collaborative effort and it’s a fantastic example of how working together can reap genuine rewards.

“The Wall Mural is a wonderful legacy and something that will be enjoyed by future generations for years to come.

“I’d like to thank The Deputy Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor Freda Geddes and Consort, Councillor Alex Geddes, for taking the time to undertake our official unveiling — in celebration we have a permanent plaque which will be placed in school.”

St Alban's celebrates its centenary in 2027 and The Wall Mural represents a touchpoint for what BCWET hopes will be a renewed focus on the school’s storied past and its exciting future.

Mole’s artwork has already become a feature of Rothbury Avenue with visitors from within Pelaw and beyond heaping praise on a much-needed makeover.

And what started out as a suggestion from one of the St Alban’s staff that the wall represented a blank canvas ripe for a refresh has morphed into a project that the whole town can be proud of.

Maria Robinson, Headteacher of St Alban’s Catholic Primary School, added: “The Wall Mural was commissioned to bring joy and colour into the local community.

“That’s what our children already do in their mission to ‘live life to the full’.

“The Wall Mural celebrates local landmarks and we’re very proud of our place in Pelaw, Gateshead and the North East.

“This was an opportunity to raise the profile of a much-loved, happy and vibrant school — The Wall Mural’s warm welcome outside is what you can expect when you visit us inside.”