Mural to celebrate Cherry Hinton Brook
In 2023 Rowan joined forces with The Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook and Sainsbury’s on Brooks Road to create a large-scale mural that pays homage to the wildlife of one of the city’s lesser-known chalk streams.
In-house artist and Rowan tutor Chris Deane took the lead on the mural design along with Rowan student artists. It all started with a visit to see the space and get it all measured up. Shortly after this Rowan students visited the chalk stream to discover the wildlife. With sketchbooks in hand the creations started…
Over the next few months student artists worked hard on creating images that would then become the mural. Now came the tricky part where Chris had to start transferring those images onto the large mural which was 2.7m high and 3.7m wide. This was no easy job, especially with the rainy weather scuppering him working outside!
The mural started to come together and by November it was complete and ready to up in pride and place.
“Rowan is very pleased to have been commissioned to produce this mural. It has been a real community effort over the last year, resulting in an exciting view of the wildlife around the brook – much of which is rarely seen. Well done to our artists who collaborated to produce this outstanding mural under the guidance of in-house artist Chris Deane.” – Cherie Evans, CEO Rowan Humberstone. Quoted November 2023.
“Cherry Hinton Brook must be unique in that, although it is in a city, at the right season, you can have a close-up view of a water vole (one of Britain’s protected and rarest species) or watch the brilliant colours of a kingfisher as it flashes by. We have to protect such a special place,” says Sue Wells, Chair of FCHB. Quoted November 2023.
On Monday 27th November 2023 Rowan students and staff, representatives from The Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook, Sainsbury’s staff, the Mayor of Cambridge and the general public celebrated the grand unveiling of the mural.
This was all made possible by the Cambridge City Council Public Art S106 grant and a £500 donation from Sainsbury’s.
Sainsbury’s Coldhams Lane Store Manager Jeff Ireson said: “We’re delighted to support this fantastic project celebrating Cherry Hinton Brook, an amazing example of biodiversity right on our doorstep. I hope the local community is as pleased with the finished result as we are and I’d like to thank everyone involved in its creation for their amazing work. We look forward to displaying the mural for years to come.” Quoted November 2023.
You can find out more about The Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook and all the fantastic work they do here.
Did you know about all of our Wildlife at Cherry Hinton Brook merchadise? From posters to puzzles, to cards and gifts and more! Check it out now in our online shop.
