Students create stunning new mural celebrating blind and visually impaired athletes

RNC has unveiled a new mural created by its students in collaboration with professional street artists, Studio Jumble. Funded by Hereford City Council and the Herefordshire Community Foundation, the project celebrates the achievements of blind and visually impaired athletes.


The idea originated from a simple request during an art class. Student Kai Codrington expressed an interest in trying graffiti art. His enthusiasm inspired his classmates, and with the support of their art teacher and RNC's Fundraising Department, the project gained momentum.

Street art agency Blank Walls commissioned Andrew Everitt and Alex Thompson from Studio Jumble to lead the project. The College's Estates team suggested brightening up an uninspiring bike store situated in a public space next to the College’s 4G pitch.

This new public art was produced over the weekend of 12 and 13 October. Andrew and Alex conducted workshops with the students, teaching them practical techniques for painting with visual impairment, which would allow them to work on the main piece. The students quickly grasped the concepts of using spray cans effectively and experimented with different techniques and nozzles to achieve various strokes and effects. After mastering the basics, students were then able to add their own flourishes to the main artwork.

Art teacher Mel Davies, expressed her enthusiasm for the project:

'I was really pleased how the two artists engaged with our students. Their enthusiasm was infectious. Our students really enjoyed being creative with spray paint, a medium they hadn't used before and they were proud to be creating something that would be a legacy, long after they have left the College. Thanks to Andrew and Alex for their energy and passion in creating such a wonderful art installation celebrating blind sports. Also thanks to the wonderful RNC volunteers who came in to support the project.'

Student Kai was thrilled to see his idea become reality, saying:

'I loved it. I’ve done some graffiti art in the past, but on a much smaller sale and not with spray paints, so I wanted to have a go on a bigger canvas and find out what I could achieve. The professional artists explained what we were going to do really well. They made it accessible, guided us in the right direction, then gave us a free hand to experiment. My finished products were far better than I thought they would be! I surprised myself and found that I could achieve much more than I had expected.'

Nick Terry from Blank Walls said:

'Our mural is a celebration of collaboration, creativity and legacy. It was a joy to work together and see how each unique contribution brought the project to life.'

The artists from Studio Jumble were overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of all the participants, commenting:

'Each brought their own level of skill and creativity and were willing to learn. It is great that through this collaboration RNC have a long lasting mural artwork for all the students involved to be proud of.'

The mural features several RNC alumni who have excelled in their respective sports, including two-time Paralympic gold medallist Dan Pembroke (Javelin), England Blind Football Captain Owen Bainbridge and Team GB Goalball player Antonia Bunyan.

Mel hopes to invite the featured athletes to an official unveiling ceremony in the near future, providing an opportunity to celebrate the project with the budding new graffiti artists.

More photos to follow.