Arriva Trains Wales | DEREK FORECASTS BRIGHT OUTLOOK FOR STATION MURAL

DEREK FORECASTS BRIGHT OUTLOOK FOR STATION MURAL

A strikingly coloured mural depicting scenes from the Rhondda Valley has been unveiled at Pontypridd railway station by BBC Wales’s weatherman Derek Brockway.

Derek Unveils The Mural The mural has been created by pupils from Porth County Comprehensive as part of a project developed by Arriva Trains Wales, Prince’s Trust Cymru, British Transport Police and the Mobile Arts Project.

The 15 youngsters, all members of the school’s Prince’s Trust ‘XL Club’ worked with local artists Chris Partridge and Ceri Walters over a period of five days in the old ticket office on the platform.

Scenes illustrated in the mural include the new road bridge in Porth, wildlife and a rally car taking part in the Wales Rally GB.

Jez Williams, station manager for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “This project is about encouraging and nurturing talent among young people. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed their time with Chris and Ceri in thinking of ideas relevant to their community before transferring them onto the different sections of the mural. We are proud of their achievement, which will provide a colourful welcome for rail users in Pontypridd.”

Geraldine O’Sullivan, XL manager for Prince’s Trust Cymru, said: “Prince's Trust Cymru is delighted to have been able to develop this project with each of the partners. The children developed many new skills and been given an opportunity to demonstrate their creative ability, which will be seen and enjoyed by hundreds of people each day."

Pontypridd Station Mural Arriva Trains Wales’ sponsorship of the ‘XL’ project in 2007 involved more than 120 students from nine schools across Wales taking part in various activities such as producing passenger questionnaires, a station re-painting project and learning about railway safety with officers from British Transport Police.

This year, Prince's Trust Cymru will help nearly 6000 disadvantaged young people in Wales to get their lives working and overcome the obstacles that they face.

The Prince's Trust Cymru XL Clubs provide three hours a week of alternative curriculum support to young people who are facing difficulties within the education system.

The XL curriculum is designed to motivate and engage young people and through practical informal learning, they gain qualifications. For many the qualifications gained through XL will be the only ones that they leave school with.

Each of the 9 schools involved have undertaken a project that looks at the negative impact of graffiti; including the impact and cost of graffiti removal.

Pupils from the XL Club at Abergele Comprehensive School gained experience in repainting the town’s railway station during a two day project with Arriva Trains Wales staff