Pinhoe Bench Painting
by Zoe (Pinhoe Community Builder)
Have you ever walked through your neighbourhood and thought: “How could I make this space feel loved?”
Nijumon, a local resident and artist, reached out to Zoe, Pinhoe Community Builder, and said they would like to do more things in the community, including giving some well-used benches a makeover.
Zoe and Niju did some door knocking to chat to neighbours about the idea and it was put out to local facebook groups. The council gave permission for the residents to go ahead with their plans, residents came forward to help and the idea was in motion!
Over the next few weeks, the neighbours came together to weed, wash, repair, prime, paint and decorate the bench. A lot goes in to preparing a bench - sandpaper, washing up bowl, gloves, goggles, brushes, bags for the weeds, paint roller, a 'wet paint' sign... the list goes on. The group were well prepared and combined their energy, tools and knowledge!
Every time the group painted another coat on the benches, people would stop and say how great it looked. One resident commented: “I walk past with my dogs every day and love the beautiful new look and tidy area.”
One of the bench painting crew, said: “Taking part in this summer’s bench renovation project with Zoe and other lovely volunteers has been for me a gratifying experience in many ways. It is wonderful to see first-hand that the community spirit is alive and strong in Pinhoe, and that with group effort, a lot can be achieved within a short time! It is satisfying to see these newly painted benches being enjoyed by the wider community on a daily basis!”
Inspiration for the designs came from different residents, including a suggestion of doing a roman mosaic to honour Pinhoe’s history. The phrase “It’s a beautiful day in Pinhoe” was coined by the 10-year-old in the group, who was keen to celebrate Pinhoe’s community spirit.
The project has also been supported by local businesses and groups. B&Q donated painting kit and paint cans were collected from Pinbrook Road Recycling Centre ‘Community RePaint scheme’. The stencil to paint on the new phrase was designed by FabLab, based at Exeter Library.
Pinhoe’s Community Builder, Zoe, said: “What’s really exciting about this project is how it has brought people together from different parts of Pinhoe, who might not normally meet each other. Residents from Station road, Harrington Park and Tithe Barn have worked together and it’s sparked some great ideas for other improvements.”
The completion of the benches was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony and picnic in the local park, where the group were keen to discuss the next project.
Matilde, another member of the group, said “It was definitely a beautiful day in Pinhoe to celebrate our Summer Activity Bench Makeover, full of beautiful smiles from lovely people. This is an amazing community that I’m proud to be part of and that’s where I want my son to grow safely.”
Do you have an idea to improve things in your community? Get in touch!
Comments