THE barriers around the Whitchurch Silk Mill have been livened up thanks to the artistic skills of schoolchildren.

The Hoardings’ Gallery is displayed on one of the partitions up around the Mill as it is being refurbished.

Made up of a total of 72 interpretations of the Mill and what goes on in the venue, it was officially unveiled on Thursday, 15 March.

One of the main forms of feedback given to the Mill during the refurbishment so far was there should be some decoration that would brighten up the exterior, which led to the creation of the Hoardings’ Gallery.

Year 2 children from Whitchurch Primary School were asked to contribute a piece of art.

This was after a Victorianthemed day, where the children learnt about the history of the era and about the Silk Mill.

The pupils were asked to come up with their own designs that ‘captured the essence of the Mill’, which included drawings of the building itself, weaving and the surrounding River Test.

The decoration will stay up on the hoardings for the duration of the work at the Mill, which is expected to re-open in the summer.