Student mural brightens up mental health hospital

Laura Boden and Amy Cole, two of the students involved in the mural, said they were pleased to have produced such a large-scale artwork

Three students have created a series of murals to brighten the outside space of a mental health hospital.

The artwork was produced at St George’s Hospital in Stafford by students from the University of Wolverhampton.

They were inspired by artwork created by inpatients during sessions with professional artists.

The patients and students worked alongside the Arts for Health team at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and it is hoped the murals will help improve inpatients’ experience.

“Being able to create artwork on such a large scale like this was a huge achievement for me,” said graphic design graduate Amy Cole.

She added that it was rewarding to see patients actively getting involved and offering their suggestions.

Laura Boden, who is studying illustration, said: “This was a first for me designing for a large area and I wanted to bring full colour and calm with my design.”

The mural was unveiled at St George's Hospital

Charlotte Webb, studying for a master’s degree in digital and visual communications, said the experience had helped her understand the impact work like this could have.

“Producing a garden mural was a fantastic opportunity for me to build on my creative practice skills,” she said.

Helen Wilson, the Arts for Health worker who managed the project, said it had been a great success.

“The murals have improved the garden spaces significantly to provide a pleasant and stimulating outdoor facility for patients, their families, and our staff,” she said.