In response to the lack of community venues in this area of Preston we have been running activities and events at Hartington Courts since 2022. Last year we got the keys to the Hartington Pavilion (known as the Hut) due to the generosity of Preston City Council and now have a much needed indoor space. However many people have commented that the Hut looks like disused garages and the Hartington Hut Steering Group, supported by St Stephens Church, want to transform the outside of the building! We want to work with a respected Community Artist to involve local children, youth and adults in creating a design to help them feel more pride, ownership and care in their community. We plan to paint a mural on the shutters and create a sign for the hut out of recycled materials. The final designs will be co-created through community workshops and consultation and local children, youth and adults will be able to get involved with painting the mural and making the sign!

What we'll deliver:

• Run workshops for the local community to share ideas
• Run sessions for community to help paint mural on Hut shutters
• Run sessions for community to help create sign

Why it's a great idea:

We will involve members of the local community in this project and hope that our existing families and young people will help to share ideas, paint and create! We also want to reach out to others in the community to invite them to get involved and be part of this community transformation. Since we have been running events at the site many people have commented on improvements to the environment, reduction in anti-social behaviour and increased sense of pride. We want to build on this by creating a special piece of Community Art and help the local community know that this is a space for them. We also hope that through this project local people will feel a growing sense of price in their area and that this investment will have further benefits in reducing the anti-social behaviour that happens at the Hartington Courts. The project will also give local people the time and space to connect and work together to fundraise and create something wonderful!

Steps to get it done:

• Running 3 community workshops to get ideas for the mural design
• We will work with the artist to finalise the design for the mural and sign
• Will get final approval for the mural and sign design from Preston Council
• Buy the materials needed and collect recycled items
• Artist to prepare the mural and sign
• 3 sessions for people to come along and help paint the mural and make the sign
• Artist to make final touches
• Have an launch/celebration event