A series of murals at a Welshpool nature reserve that were created by pupils from schools in the area have been completed.

The initiative was put together as part of Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Wild Skills Wild Spaces project which harnesses the creativity of school children to create several wildlife murals at its Severn Farm Pond Nature Reserve in Welshpool.

Three creative graffiti workshops were held at the nature reserve, with around 50 young people between the ages of 11 and 17 involved, including art and photography A-level students from Welshpool High School.

The project was also helped with funding from Tesco, with the mural project being nominated by the community and awarded the top grant of £1,500 as a result of public votes in-store.

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Mark Harding, Wild Skills Wild Spaces Youth Engagement Officer, said: "Thanks to Tesco Stronger Starts, we’ve been able to offer this fantastic opportunity to approximately 50 local young people.

“Everyone did a fantastic job, and the results are something the community will be able to enjoy for years to come.

“If you haven’t seen the murals yet, come down to Severn Farm Pond in Welshpool and have a look.”

(Image: MWT)

The workshop sessions were led by graffiti artist Val Kuhl, working alongside the Wild Skills Wild Spaces team, who instructed participants in using spray paint to design murals inspired by British wildlife.

These design inspirations included the once-endangered bird of prey, the Osprey, and the rare Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly, as well as popular wildlife including the Blue Tit, Brown Hare, Mallard duck and fungi.

(Image: MWT)

Kuhl said: "I really enjoyed running these sessions. It was amazing to see the young people get involved and learn new skills.

"The final outcomes exceeded my expectations, and it’s clear that the participants were determined to create something special."

Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust hopes the project will serve as part of a larger ecotherapy programme, run in partnership with Powys Teaching Health Board and Cardiff Metropolitan University, which aims to connect people with nature to enhance their mental and physical wellbeing through outdoor activities such as wildlife walks, bushcraft, and conservation work.