When you go down to Mill Meadows in Henley, be prepared for a big surprise!
Over the last two weeks artist Vickie Amiralis has been painting a beautiful mural, which has a hidden ‘I-Spy’ poem.
In Vickie’s mural you can spot many of the insects, flowers, birds and animals that people see along the Thames Path. There are fish and eels, which live in the River Thames locally, as well as seals, dolphins and seahorses that live in the tidal Thames through London.
Vickie’s colourful and interactive mural is on one of the outer walls of Mill Meadows Pavilion in Henley-on-Thames. This project, which is supported by Henley Town Council and Henley in Bloom, celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Thames Path.
Vickie designed the interactive mural with QR codes to colouring-in sheets and a quiz to engage people of all ages with the natural environment around us. There’s also information about the wildlife that live in and around the River Thames to highlight the importance of keeping the river clean and healthy for future generations.
One of the QR codes reveals ‘I-Spy’ a poem especially written for the mural by Robert Seatter, the Thames Path National Trail’s Poet in Residence. ‘I-Spy’ is one of 30 short poems reflecting the River Thames and its significance in people’s lives, accessible via QR codes along the National Trail.
In the noticeboard opposite the Pavilion, and via a QR code, visitors are invited to identify species in the artwork, and explore the Thames Path through the meadows to spot wildlife in real life.
Vickie began painting on 1 May to coincide with the Henley Arts Trail. She aims to finish painting the mural on 8 May before plaques and the QR codes are installed.
