For weeks there’s been a warning sign of underground live cables and threatening yellow covers surrounding the bus shelter by The Lamb Pub.
One day the wind blew the cover to the side and it was exciting to see local artist Peter Oldreive painting a seagull – this scene grew and grew until at its unveiling, the whole life of Pagham was revealed. There in the top left hand corner, watching over us all, is the towering Church of St Thomas à Becket.
Incorporated into the mural is the work of two of our Sunday School members. At its centre you’ll see nine-year-old Chloe Toone’s flag depicting different village scenes. To the right you’ll find ten-year-old Benjamin Thomas’s picture of his grandfather’s fishing boat. Chloe and Benjamin were two of four pupils at Rose Green Junior School to win a competition held by Pagham Parish Council to find star drawings to inspire the artist.
So, whether you’re going to the beach in the hols, or a hungry seagull – there’s something in this painting to delight the eye. Hope, as you gaze on its beauty, that you don’t miss the bus!
Photographs by Graham Salter