New community created artwork has been unveiled on the walls of Emily's Café in Feltham.
Hounslow Council has supported the transformation of a former toilet block in Feltham into a vibrant celebration of community, creativity, and cultural pride marking another step forward in the town’s regeneration journey.
A special unveiling took place on Thursday 9 October at Emily’s Café, attended by Leah Wood, Jemma Powell, students, teachers, artists, Deputy Mayor Cllr Junue Meah and local ward councillors and council officers.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Junue Meah and Councillor Farah Kamran join artists, volunteers and school children at the mural unveiling
Working with TimeGivers, a charity that empowers young people through volunteering, and in partnership with local schools and artists, the project has given the exterior of the now-thriving community café on Bridge House Pond a striking new identity.
Funded through a small capital grant from Hounslow Council, the once neglected building has been reborn as a local landmark, featuring colourful murals and mosaics designed and created by young people from across Feltham. The project forms part of a growing Feltham mural and mosaic trail, which celebrates local heritage and creativity while supporting the Council’s wider Future Feltham regeneration programme.
Over recent weeks, St Lawrence RC Primary School pupils created a large painted mural depicting an imaginative skyline of Feltham, in collaboration with artists Jemma Powell and Leah Wood and Kate Deighton, founder of TimeGivers who volunteered for this project. The classes were supported by Creative Arts Ambassador students from Springwest Academy, who mentored the younger children through the mosaic-making process.
Kate Deighton, Founder, TimeGivers, said:
It’s been a true privilege to see the Bridge House Pond Café Murals come to life - a wonderful collaboration between local schools, community members and local artists and volunteers.
Together, they’ve created a vibrant mural that captures the young people’s vision of Feltham - showing how small acts of kindness and creativity can spark a ripple of positive change throughout their community. It truly feels like a gift to the people of Feltham.
Meanwhile, pupils from Bedfont Primary School and St Lawrence RC Primary School, which sits beside newly completed Freddie Mercury Memorial Garden, have designed and made mosaic birds representing different countries around the world celebrating cultural diversity and connection. The classes were led by local artist Justina Budreikaite, The completed artworks have been printed on lightweight aluminium panels by Lavastar and mounted on the sides and rear of the café. The rear mural overlooks Freddie Mercury Close, linking the installation to Feltham’s rich cultural legacy.
Timegivers' founder Kate Deighton with artists Leah Wood and Jemma Powell prepare to cut the ribbon
Cllr Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader of Hounslow Council and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, said:
This project is a brilliant example of how creativity and community can come together to bring new life and pride to our town centres. What TimeGivers and local schools have achieved here in Feltham is inspiring – it’s a small project with a big impact, showing what regeneration really means at a local level.
Feltham is changing from the new homes and jobs planned for the former MOD site to the celebration of our cultural icons like Freddie Mercury. Together, these projects are part of our wider vision for Future Feltham: a vibrant, connected, and inclusive place where creativity and opportunity go hand in hand.
