Brightening Up Grim Underpass with Community Mural

Work has started on a community mural at an underpass between Earley and Woodley that links Henley Wood Road to Dartington Avenue and Clivedale Road.

Yuan Yang, the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, suggested the tunnel be spruced up to create pride in the area.

Artist Dr Jenna Fox, who has painted murals in Reading, Swindon and Guildford, began work on 7 November and is looking for people to help.

There will be a "meet the artist" event at the underpass at 3pm on Saturday 14 November where volunteers can "paint by numbers" and be coordinated to help finish the mural.

Dr Fox says: "I put together a design, which is a loose landscape cross between illustration, cartoon pop art, patterns and colours, imagery and symbols, with a theme of flowers and trees."

The tunnel is owned by Network Rail. The project has been funded by Network Rail and the Wokingham Charity.

So far Dr Fox and two art technicians have completed about 20 per cent of one wall; painting sessions will be run by about six people at a time and the underpass remains open throughout.

She warns work is slow in bad weather: "I wore five layers and a woolly hat over the weekend, and I couldn't use gloves because I was painting!"

Dr Fox says she expects the mural to take time. "I estimate it will take 80 days to do this one."

Anyone who wants to get involved can contact Dr Fox through her website.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter