Deputy Head Maddy Auty led the project from within Stoneydown Primary School dealing heroically with the logistics of releasing 7 classes and 230+ children aged from 3 to 11 into the local streets. Linda Hughes (parent and artist) led the project as 'art director' doing many hours of research work and high level planning above and beyond the call of duty to ensure this project happened. Linda also worked in the classes with the children to help them realise their ideas. Claire Thomas (parent) liaised between the school and the funding source maintaining the accounts and keeping a close eye on costs. Ian Capes (parent) chased up general issues that might get in the way of the project's smooth running. Several parents helped with supervising the children - special mention goes to Amanda Cane who was out nearly every single day. Frank Baker, Linda's father in law, came down from Yorkshire and put in three days of solid graft. Frank undercoated the Nursery class bridge panels in Stoneydown Ave and helped apply the background when the bad weather of early summer 2007 threatened to put the project seriously behind schedule. Raphael (then in year 1) had his teenage half brothers and sister visiting from Paris. They helped the year 3 and 4 Stoneydown children apply the Islamic tile patterns on the Suffolk Park Road bridge panels. We will try to get their names posted.
The project has been supported by the High Street Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Panel and the SN Police Team - especially PCSO's Paul Doe & Joy Wacha who attended numerous steering committee meetings. Our project has been very generously funded by the Joint Tactical Action Group committee (TJAG) who were approached by Sgt Denise Canderton (then the High Street SN police team leader) on behalf of the school. Also Network Rail who gave the permissions to work on the bridges. Richard Forster of EduAction gave Health & Safety advice. Professional photographer Chi Chan took photos as a permanent record and for use in exhibitions. Stella Creasy for publicising our project on her blog. Also, the Walthamstow Guardian and the Yellow Paper for featuring the children's work.
We would also like to thank those councillors and council officers at LBWF who have helped smooth the way when issues arose. Cllr James O'Rourke made enquiries and cut through the red tape at the council to get the large plastic parking zone sign removed from the Suffolk Park Road bridge. This had been fixed to the panels just 2 weeks before the project was due to commence!!! Peter Kelly of Highways Operations kindly loaned us some temporary pedestrian barriers to protect the young artists from passing traffic. Young offenders working under the supervision of the Payback team prepared the surfaces and applied the final anti graffiti coating. The Detached Youth Services Team has worked with local teenagers which has so far greatly reduced the incidence of further attacks. The co-operation of the teenagers themselves must also be acknowledged.
Environmental Services should be acknowledged for their efforts in helping clean up the brickwork surrounding the panels. Cllr Bob Belam (Cabinet member for Environment) made enquiries for us regarding the use of the Anti Graffiti Squad.
