Ranscombe Farm is a nature reserve on the slopes of the North Downs in Kent. Recently declared as a country park, a large part of the site is within the Cobham Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the whole farm is within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Ranscombe Farm has been an important botanic site for hundreds of years.
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Money, Plantlife, the organisation responsible for the Ranscombe Farm Reserve, asked Positive Arts to run a new community art project, working with the local community to design and create a mural for the underpass beneath the M2. The underpass, which until now has been left neglected for years, leads from Albatross Avenue to Ranscombe Farm Reserve and on to beautiful open countryside.
Positive Arts held a community consultation session and working along side 30 young people from the Medway Youth Service, the theme ‘come and discover – come and explore’ was developed highlighting the magical journey to and through Ranscombe Farm.
The underpass is Positive Arts biggest mural to date – 250 feet long on two sides and the team were painting for 3 weeks. The mural is now complete and the subway is much more welcoming and appealing to visitors. It is hoped that the ownership, passion and pride felt by the people involved, will help towards the long-term preservation of the underpass and create a feeling of community cohesion.
Plantlife
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/nature_reserves/discover_ranscombe/
Local Press
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway_messenger/where_i_live/s-z/CNStory.aspx?SID=280137
