Explorer Reporters, The Wirral Scouts Mural
The Explorer Reporters -Michael, Matthew, Sophie, Mollie, Caitlin and Eva
Explorer Reporters, The Wirral Scouts Mural - Brighton Street, Liscard
On the 4th of November, we, the Explorer Reporters Team, were given the opportunity to be involved in the unveiling of the Wirral Scouts #SkillsForLife Mural Project, and although the weather was not exactly on our side, there was a definite buzz of excitement in the air.
As guests arrived, it was lovely to see Scouting members of all ages, from each of the Four Wirral Scout Districts, show their appreciation for all of the brilliant work and effort that had clearly been put into the production of the mural, with a special mention to the amazing award winning, artist himself, Paul Curtis, for his dedication and resilience, especially to keep painting throughout storm Ciaran, and Karen Currums, the fantastic Local Growth Officer (LGO) that the Four Wirral Scout Districts employed to work on the project across the districts, for her commitment and enthusiasm. As the project was youth led, it was important that the young people that make up Wirral Scouting were involved each step of the way, so we are very grateful to Karen for visiting many groups, including our own, to gather ideas for the mural design. One of the main methods of collecting ideas was a survey, which received an impressive 102 individual responses, and recognition must also be given to the very creative artworks that were submitted from groups across the districts. In the final design, you can really see elements of so many genius ideas that came together to form the perfect image, so it has been amazing to feel involved with the project from start to finish.
Especially after COVID-19 hit the UK, Wirral Scouting has seen a reduced number of members and adult volunteers, which is such a shame given how lifechanging being a member of Wirral Scouts is. Anyone looking at the mural will feel a sense of community and warmth, which perfectly encapsulates what Scouting is for so many on the Wirral, and so it can be hoped that the mural will attract new members into Scouting, or encourage previous members to rejoin. Not even ten minutes into the event, a father and son came to find out what was happening, and after admiring the mural and talking to the other onlookers and Karen, they were both convinced to join the scouting movement, so already the mural has achieved exactly what it set out to do, just proving how brilliant it will be for Wirral Scouts. This mural is fantastic for Wirral Scouts, but also serves as a reminder of all the hard work that goes into running Scouting groups across the Wirral, and so it really does, especially as a member of the Scouting Movement, make you feel a sense of pride to be part of something as special as this. Speaking to Karen, who played such a huge role in the project, it was nice to hear how happy she was with the end result and her hopes for the project are that it ‘evokes people’s curiosity and their interest in what the mural is about and leading them to find out more about Scouts’, which I think we can all say has been and definitely will be achieved.
Although it wasn’t possible to do a big reveal with a huge curtain drop, as the mural is just that staggeringly large, it was great to watch people’s first reactions to the mural, most either hadn't seen it yet or hadn’t seen it finished as it was being worked on right up until the night before, thanks to the dedication shown from Paul ensuring that it was complete for it’s deadline. The hard work evidently paid off, as the mural is so impressive it is almost impossible to put into words. For those that haven’t been able to see it up close yet, and we really recommend that you do, the attention to detail is astounding and the whole scene is so lifelike, it is just incredible
and we are so grateful to Paul for making the vision a reality so that it can be shared with the local community. Everybody was smiling, despite being heavily rained on, and it was great to see so many people turn up to show their support for the project, we very quickly ran out of programmes! There were even some Scouts roasting marshmallows, which just made the event feel so welcoming and friendly, some even mentioned how it brought back very fond memories of Scout camps and just being with people around a fire, enjoying the moment. One of the guests we interviewed summed up the mural perfectly by saying, ‘It’s fabulous! It really demonstrates how, if we collaborate together in the real Scout spirit, these are the amazing things we achieve. It just captures the essence of what Scouts is all about!’
The mural itself depicts our good friend Jack, a member of Birkenhead Explorers, and Beatrice, a West Wirral Scout, sat around a campfire, a Scouting staple, smiling, listening to each other, being engaged in a conversation and overall, representing the main features of Scouting that were hoped to be achieved in the initial planning stages of the mural; fun, friendship, kindness and a love and appreciation for the outdoors. It was great to see them on the wall, accurately showing what a positive and powerful movement Scouting is and how it has the ability to bring people together. There are a few hidden features in the mural that you should definitely try to find, such as a 1st Birkenhead necker, particularly important with the 1st Birkenhead having a claim to being the oldest Scout group after Baden Powell publicly announced the launch of a specific Scout Movement during a publicity visit to the Birkenhead branch of the YMCA. Another easter egg to spot is the 3rd World Scout Jamboree, Arrowe Park, Birkenhead, 1929 Golden Arrow. These cleverly hidden parts of the mural remind us of the huge role that the Wirral has played in growing the scouting movement and encourage a sense of pride and importance in our area.
We spoke to Jack, Beatrice and their parents at the reveal and it was evident how honoured they felt to have been such a vital part of this project. Throughout the afternoon, Beatrice seemed to be so proud to be representing Scouting but her main comment was ‘It’s brilliant, and it looks a lot like me!’ Jack’s thoughts were that ‘it turned out fantastic and Paul has done a really good job’, he also reflected on how ‘scouting is a really good way to connect with the community, spread positivity and really find yourself’, just showing how much scouting can do for a person, and how grateful all scouting members should feel to be a part of something so incredible.
There were a few comments from some of the other attending explorers such as, ‘I think it really captures Scouting, such as how two people, from different age groups, different areas, can still talk together around the fire. It just shows how anyone from anywhere can get along!’
Some of our shorter remarks were all along the lines of, ‘It’s beautiful, huge fan!’, which is of course, very true.
We had a lot of special guests at the grand reveal, including Paul Curtis, (the extremely talented artist himself) Sean Conway (Scouts Adventurer), Liz Henderson (Chief Commissioner of England) and Jerry Williams (Wirral Mayor), and it was such an honour to meet them, hear their stories and even get a few photos with them!
Paul, although being very humble, seemed pleased with the finished mural. He hoped that as it is ‘big enough and you can’t miss it when coming down the road’ it will encourage people to consider joining the scouting movement. It was lovely to hear from Paul that he thinks ‘it’s so good what the Scouts do, with all the outdoor activities, coming together, and that’s what we’re trying to get across with this mural’. It was so interesting talking to Paul about his different artworks and achievements, and although we absolutely love each and every piece he has created, we can all agree that the Wirral Scours #SkillsForLife Mural Project, a legacy for Scouts, is our favourite!
Speaking to Sean, he showed so much excitement for the project, he was also very impressed at the scale of the mural saying, ‘I thought it would be a lot smaller but it’s huge, I love it!’ It was great to see Sean there, as he perfectly promotes Scouting and is an inspiration to so many, especially with his many achievements such as being ‘The Real Iron Man’, he was so friendly and brilliant to have a conversation with.
The Mayor of Wirral also made an appearance, and he seemed to show a clear sense of accomplishment that the mural was exactly what Merseyside Scouting needed, and this perspective was echoed by the people around. For us, it was an honour to meet and speak to the mayor and it was an experience that will not be forgotten.
The final speeches, ribbon cutting and release were live streamed on Facebook so it was fantastic to see that even the people who couldn’t physically be there to see this incredible moment for Wirral Scouting were still able to feel involved, which perfectly reflects what Scouting is about, going above and beyond to spread a feeling of community, warmth and kindness. Despite the horrible weather and a very tight deadline, Paul worked extremely hard from morning to night to make the dreams a reality and we, the Explorer Reporters and Wirral Scouting as a whole, are so grateful to have been granted this opportunity and see the vision come to life. After the reveal, Laura McCann a photographer who managed to photograph us all in front of the mural, which later appeared in the news, which will be an unforgettable experience for us all! To be a part of this day was something that we will never forget and we are just so happy to have been involved in it. All of the reporters cannot thank Scouting enough for all of the many opportunities it has provided us with and all of the experiences we have had throughout the years!
For more information about Scouts in Wirral please visit the Merseyside Scouts website or email adventure@scoutswirral.org.uk