Why we needed new artwork
The underpass between Melbourn Village and Meldreth Railway Station had become a focus for anti-social behaviour including assault and drug taking. The existing 15-year-old artwork had been badly disfigured by graffiti. Pupils at Melbourn Village College labelled the underpass “dark”, “dodgy” and “intimidating”. Cambridgeshire Police completed a Designing Out Crime visit and a project group, led by Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership (MSFCRP), was set up to carry out the recommendations, aiming to improve the safety and the perception of safety at the underpass. Youth engagement was all important, to give a sense of ownership and avoid graffiti in future.
What happened
MSFCRP used the Community Rail Network Impact Platform to survey local residents who said they wanted improved lighting and a new artwork devised by the community.
Using small, unconditional grants from Govia Thameslink Railway and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, additional match funds were obtained from Melbourn and Meldreth Parish Councils, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Community Chest, Community Rail Development Fund and GTR’s Your Station Your Community Fund.
MSFCRP asked local schools, places of worship, youth groups and community organisations in Meldreth and Melbourn to contribute artworks to fill the “frames” in the underpass and worked with a local artist to create a magical, fantastical border for the mural giving the “Wonderpass” feel. Forty new artworks were created representing different aspects of community life in the two villages.
Melbourn Science Park, whose employees use the underpass to get to work from the station, were very supportive of the project, lending contractors to sweep and clean the underpass and give a coat of reflective whitewash in preparation for the painting. South Cambridgeshire District Council helped with Risk Assessments, Health and Safety and Insurance.
MSFCRP held two workshops for people to come and discuss their ideas with the artist. Some groups wanted to paint their own frames, some wanted to design their own and have someone else paint them. The artist also designed frames for organisations who wanted to be involved but claimed to have no artistic talent.
During the 2023 Easter holidays, six days of painting were held. These were promoted via social media, posters at the station and underpass, and by the organisations who had created frames. Just over 200 people attended and more than 100 of these were under 18. Some came to paint the artworks and others painted rocks, flowers and plants. Children from local schools painted creatures representing their class names such as kingfishers, hedgehogs and foxes. Babies’ handprints were incorporated by turning them into flowers.
One of the challenges was that the bottom of the wall to be painted was 2 feet from the floor. A scaffolding platform with ramp, compliant with Health and Safety requirements, was erected which enabled access for everyone right up to the wall.
In May 2023 the Police and Crime Commissioner of Cambridgeshire officially opened the Wonderpass. All those who had contributed funding and artworks or helped with the painting were invited, cake was served and attendees enjoyed a specially created activity booklet.
The Results
The Meldreth Wonderpass is now lighter, brighter and friendlier. Feedback on the completed artwork has been overwhelmingly positive. The project received enthusiastic media coverage, including in the Cambridge News and Cambridge Independent, and the lessons learned from the project have been presented at a GTR Community Rail Conference.
One participant commented: “I enjoyed a lovely couple of hours painting and have walked friends down to view the Wonderpass since who were all impressed, obviously, as it’s fabulous.” A Melbourn Primary class teacher wrote: “Thank you so much for making such a difference to the local area and creating brilliant memories for our children.”
The therapeutic benefit of art is widely known and there were positive benefits of the community joining together to create an artistic project for all to enjoy. Watching people of all ages and backgrounds muck in, have conversations together while creating the art, laughing and having fun was wonderful for all involved.
For images of all the Wonderpass Frames, with descriptions of all the community groups involved, click here.
For a video walkthrough of the Wonderpass click here.
