ARTWORK created by a community group in the town now greets shoppers at the Port Arcades.
The new entrance from the main car park to the shopping centre is home to art produced by Project Engage, a collaboration between two schools and Ellesmere Port Churches Together.
On Thursday and Friday last week shoppers watched as the group of Year 9 students from Ellesmere Port Catholic High School and the University Church of England Academy (UCEA) picked up their paintbrushes and created three textured canvases depicting 21 years of the centre.
The Rev Gordon McGuinness, team rector of Ellesmere Port, said: “The community art project is an innovative and important lesson which shows what can happen when people work together.
“As well as completing the projects themselves, the aim of Project Engage is to boost self-esteem, raise the profile of young people in the town and improve relationships between young and old.”
The inspiration for the project came from the idea of using portholes as windows to the town.
Jenny Owen, chaplain at UCAE, said: “It was a joy to see the students engaging with such enthusiasm in this project and making their local environment more attractive.”
Les Lyon, Port Arcades Shopping Centre manager, said: “We always knew this project would require a great deal of hard work on their part but the integrity and presentation of the pieces is a triumph.”
