High school pupils bring Crosby Wombles’ shed to life with new mural

Pupils from Chesterfield High School have brought Crosby Wombles’ new storage shed to life by painting an ‘amazing mural’ on the building with characters based on the iconic TV creatures.

The brick building in Moorside Park was given to the caring and hard-working community volunteers by Sefton Council to house all their litter picking gear and Mini Wombles’ backpacks and nature spotting kits.

But after many years of use it was looking tired and tatty.

‘Chief Womble’ Dawn D’Auvin approached the school to ask if they could help bring to life an idea she had for a bright and colourful painting to freshen up the side of the shed, which they’ve christened The Burrow.

And she says they’re delighted with the mural which has transformed a ‘grey and threatening eyesore’ into something pretty and welcoming.

“It’s fantastic,” says Dawn. “It’s absolutely beautiful, and far better than anything we could have hoped for.

“That the pupils were interested in us and helping us was wonderful,” adds Dawn, who runs the litter picking group with friend Rosemary Turner after launching it almost four years ago with Jacqui Armistead.

“They have done an amazing job.”

There are now around 50 members of the Crosby Wombles who go around the area picking up people’s rubbish and sorting out any ‘grot spots’.

It was launched by primary teacher Dawn in October 2022, after she’d been inspired by similar groups around the country.

“I was a solo litter picker,” explains Dawn, “and I was aware of other people picking up litter on their own.

“So I put a notice on Facebook asking if anyone else fed up of litter wanted to get together in a group and, from there it’s just been phenomenal.

“We go out picking up litter and we have our Mini Wombles who have little backpacks and litter pickers and who we give nature spotting kits to, and it’s about taking care of our community, having a pride in it and feeling part of it.

“The only problem as we grew was that my porch and shed – and dining room – were getting overrun with all the equipment we’ve got, so I asked the council if they had a cupboard or room we could use, and they came up with the building in Moorside Park.”

The Wombles cleared out the shed – ‘which was kindly relinquished by Moorside Bowling Club’ – which has a kitchen and toilet facilities, and made it a useful storage space.

And the mural has helped to make it an attractive base from where they might even hold events in the future and where they can sit outside after a productive pick and speak to passers-by about the work they do.

It was painted by GCSE and A Level students from Chesterfield High, who spent three days mapping it out and completing it. The door of the shed was painted by Womble John Turner with little creatures that children can spot to create a fun and interactive feature.

“We’ve even been in contact with Craig Treharne who bought the rights to the original Wombles’ music, animation and merchandise and who is sending Tobermory to the official launch on June 6 along with a wooden trail for the park because he loves what we are doing,” smiles Dawn.

Prolific picker Jill Swainston, who’s immortalised in the mural as Wonder Womble because of her enormous efforts, has even joked: “It might become a destination where people can have their photos taken, like the Angel Wings by Paul Curtis!”

The mural has a number of other characters too, based on the different groups that have grown out of the original Wombles gatherers.

There’s now a book club, a craft club, a social club, a coffee and chat club, and a gardening group which looks after the rose beds and borders in Moorside Park after there were plans to have them grassed over.

“Now they’re thriving,” says Dawn, whose late husband Aidy created the Crosby Wombles’ logo.

“It’s community at its best. Its community working together for the community.

“And it’s wonderful that the school has been a part of that. The building looked awful, and the difference that the mural has made is unbelievable.”

Crosby Wombles will host events at The Burrow between 11am and 2pm every first Saturday of the month, and have so far held a children’s book and game swap, adult jigsaws and book swap, and plant swap, offering complimentary refreshments.