Torbay students create stunning tribute to lifeboat heros

Children from schools across Torbay have produced a stunning mosaic to commemorate the RNLI’s 200th anniversary.

The painting, made out of 200 10x10cm squares, each painted by a different pupil, was unveiled by pupils on Brixham Harbour, as Torbay's Severn Class All-Weather lifeboat came past to give an honorary honk of its horn.

Called 'The 200 Year Art Challenge' to mark the RNLI's 200th anniversary, the collage is an acrylic representation of a photograph taken of that same Severn Class Lifeboat in Brixham's inner harbour by one of the RNLI’s official photographers, Nigel Millard, who is also a local crew member.

200 children were selected and each was given one piece of the photograph to paint. These would then join together to create a collage to measure two by one metre in size.

Schools involved included: Brixham College, Churston Ferrers Grammar School, Cockington Primary School, Collaton St. Mary Primary School, Galmpton Primary School, Hayes Primary School, Oldway Primary School, Roselands Primary School, Sherwell Valley Primary School, Shiphay Academy, St. Marychurch Primary School, Torquay Girls Grammar School & Widecombe Primary School.

Lucy Neil from Sherwell Valley School said: “It’s been a great challenge for the kids and it’s turned out far better than any of us imagined. You can kind of see their own interpretations in each piece

“We had 14 squares so we tried to guess what it would be. But to see it today and see their faces when it was unveiled was priceless. You could see them all looking for their little square.”

Sophie from Sherwell Valley said: “My square had buildings and 3D bits, it was hard. When I saw it all I was like wow! The best part of the year so far.”

The ages of the youngsters involved ranged from eight to 16 years. Schools began working on the piece in the early spring.

Nigel Millard, who took the original photo and was the mastermind behind the project, said: “It was quite an ambitious challenge and I didn’t know whether  it would work out.  

After giving them the squares, everything was down to the interpretation of each child to paint it in the way that they wanted. I did a calculation the other day and I think there are around about a thousand hours that have gone into this piece.

Nigel added: “This project really encapsulates what we wanted to show with our 200th anniversary. Art crosses boundaries and it can engage with everyone across the community.

“These kids are the future of the community, and of our lifeboat. Some of these kids will potentially be future crew here, and how we can get the message across about the importance of lifeboats and safety in the sea couldn’t be more crucial.”

Torbay RNLI Coxswain Andrew Medley said: “The result is breathtaking. If you said to any of us at the start, that we were going to gather 200 children together, some as young as eight, all to paint a square of a giant picture, we would have never thought it would come out like this. That result is just stunning.

“The painting symbolises our connection to Brixham. You've got all these children and teachers who have come together to celebrate and enjoy the RNLI. That connection between the community and the station is so important.

“We can get the youngsters involved in something fun and memorable and in the process they learn a bit about the lifeboat, the RNLI and probably a bit of water safety along the way.”