Ely bridge murals

We've just completed a big CAN DO mural project... in a heatwave!

We have been working with community members, schools and youth groups in the Ely and Fairwater area, creating 3 murals to brighten up Ely bridge.

The murals celebrate vibrant community life and promote partnership working across the local communities. There is a strong theme of ‘connection’ in the designs, which feature jigsaw pieces, zips and buttons, as well as local landmarks such as the river and railway line. The collaborative project developed over 9 months in a partnership between Communities First (ACE), South Wales Police, four local schools, Cardiff Youth Service, Network Rail and a number of local community groups. We were delighted to have lots of volunteers from the surrounding area helping us paint the bridge... they did a great job!

Dave Horton, Deputy Cluster Manager for Communities First Cardiff West, said: "Recent years have seen an explosion of community led activity in Ely, Caerau, Fairwater, and surrounding areas.  Despite negative reputations, the area has huge community spirit and is an exciting and vibrant area of the city.  This project has been an excellent opportunity for local people to work together and express this positivity visually. We have really enjoyed being a part of this celebration of our community."  Dave Horton, ACE (Action in Caerau & Ely)

Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Highways, Traffic and Transportation, Cllr Ralph Cook, said: “This has been a great project that has helped to inspire the community both young and the young at heart. The Mural has helped to brighten up the area and brought many community groups together over the last few weeks. I am delighted that Cardiff Council supported the scheme.”

The volunteer painters were happy to see their photo in the South Wales Echo on Wednesday, and we hope the colourful murals will be spotted in other local media over the coming weeks. In the meantime, there are plenty more pictures on our Facebook page. 

A big thank you all those who funded the project (Tidy Towns, Cardiff Youth Service, Network Rail, ACE and SPICE), South Wales Police, Cardiff Council, and the Councillors of Ely, Caerau, Fairwater and Canton for their support of the project.