Action for the River Kennet(ARK) today, June 1, hosted a community event to officially open the Stonebridge mural. Cutting the ribbon was Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Ninna Gibson, watched by a crowd that included Marlborough’s Mayor, Cllr Cleasby, ARK representatives, Alex Scott from project sponsor TH Whites, Martin Gibson from sponsor GC Gibson Charitable Trust, Lib Dem candidate, David Kinnaird and True and Fair Party candidate, Pete Force-Jones. Ninna Gibson said, “The mural is a great addition to Marlborough and Wiltshire. It is just brilliant.”
Created by artist, Janey Louise Fletcher, the mural project has taken just under a year to complete. It depicts the wild life of the nature reserve and the River Kennet, as well as a Marlborough St Mary’s pupil, who won a design competition. The mural replaces what was a dirty grey wall covered in graffiti.
Artist Janey Louise Fletcher explained that she had only just put the finishing touches to the mural. She has added a badger family, a tractor (because TH Whites was a sponsor) and someone walking their dog as it is such a popular place for dog walkers. She told Marlborough.news, “I am grateful to all the local people who brought me refreshments while I was working, to Anna Forbes, to the volunteers who helped speak to passers-by while I was working and who drove me to the station. There was a lot of interest from kids who like pointing out the different creatures depicted. The mural is so educational for them and teaches them the names of wildlife. I’ve learned a lot as well. I’ve also loved it that the young people who painted the original graffiti respected it. I think it would be great if a space was provided in Marlborough for young people to do their graffiti – perhaps at the skate park. When I was their age I used to paint in my local skate park. It’s all about learning skills from people more advanced than you.”
David Kinnaird, Lib Dem Candidate, told Marlborough.news, “As someone who lives in Marlborough, it’s lovely to see this opened today. Thank goodness we have ARK to raise awareness of and educate us all about the reserve and the precious chalk stream – the River Kennet.”
Following the opening, Peter Marren, writer, journalist and naturalist, who lives in Ramsbury, led a nature walk around the reserve which involved crickets, slow worms, bumblebees, fungi, snails, black poplar trees and beetles. Other members of ARK organised a river school for children which involved wading into the river to find out what lives there.
To find out more about artist Janey Louise Fletcher, who does accept commissions click here.
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