A MAYOR has praised the efforts of an "imaginative" school that has unveiled a new facility for its community.

Elected mayor of Copeland, Mike Starkie, visited the village of Bootle for the official opening of the Bootle Art Gallery.

The gallery was a collaboration between Captain Shaw's Primary School and Furness College, who teamed up to add a touch of glamour to the village.

Pete Mills, headteacher of Captain Shaw's, said: "It's been really good for us and it helped to show our students what they can go on to do when they're older.

"The college is chuffed as well because it's a live piece of work for them which is on show in the community."

Students from Furness College transformed a shabby old bus stop into an imaginative space of colour and creativity that will feature the drawings of younger children at Captain Shaw's.

The work was led by 30-year-old student, Russel Edgar, who worked alongside fellow students, Jack Hinde and Sammy Sharpels to paint the main wall.

Mr Edgar said: "We were given the task as part of our final major project for the level three extended diploma, and when I was first told about it I loved it as I’ve done similar work in orphanages in Romania and Bulgaria.

"I took on the final design and once I’d sketched and painted a final design I collaborated with my peers to come up with the final design using a mixed media namely landscape, collage and anime."

Mr Starkie thought the project was a unique idea and applauded the efforts of the artists and the school.

He said: "The school is becoming a real community hub and some of the initiatives at the school are really engaging and imaginative.

"Turning the bus stop into a gallery is a unique and imaginative thing to do and it all helps for young people learning about civic pride."

Mr Mills agreed with Mr Starkie and said building relationships within the community is a key value for the school.

He said: "Because we're such a small community we are coming together and starting to regenerate the community.

"Older members of the public get to meet the younger ones and see them in a more positive way.

"My students are already contributing to the community and some of them are only four years old."

The new gallery is the latest of a long line of schemes to get other members of the community engaging with the school, one of which was the Bootle Book Box that acts as a miniature library for everyone to use.

Mr Starkie has a lot of admiration for the village and believes it to be setting an example for other schools in the area.

He said: "It's a very special and unique community and it just shows the creativity that's going on to help improve community."

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