Carlisle United CST transform rundown underpass with Beardy Synergy

Carlisle United's Community Sports Trust have been pouring love into the Strand underpass, by Trinity School, with the help of artists  Ian Alcock and Adam Philips, also known as Beardy Synergy. 

The street mural is expected to be completed by the end of next week. 

Sustainability coordinator for Carlisle United Community Sports Trust, Natasha Messier, said: "We applied to the council for a grant to do something with the underpass as it was looking a bit grotty. 

Hard at work creating a message in a bottle (Image: CUCST)

"They gave us funds and we were able to hire Beardy Synergy to come and do some artwork. We wanted to tie the environment and sustainability into the design. 

"They've designed a theme of plastic pollution in the oceans. It's a beautiful nature theme down one side, with turtles and seals, but on the other side it's lots of plastic bottles being put on," she said. 

Highlighting the impact of plastic pollution on our oceans. (Image: CUCST)

The trust has also received invaluable help from those on their traineeship scheme who have volunteered to help us get lots of stencils onto the wall, as well as receiving initial help from people serving community payback services. 

"At the trust, we do a traineeship for young adults who aren't in education, work, or training.

"We've been inviting them to come down and stencil some of the bottles on - it's been a lot of fun. 

Greek God created by Beardy Synergy (Image: CUCST)

"We've also had community payback services come down. They have helped out hugely in the initial stages when it came to prepping the walls. They've done some really great work. 

"We hope those from the community payback services might be able to come back and help us get an anti-graffiti varnish to go over the top of the work in order to preserve it," she said.