Mural artist brings joy to communal gardens at Northampton General Hospital staff flats with tropical-themed design

A tropical-themed mural has been painted in the communal gardens of a new housing development for Northampton General Hospital staff.

Sarah Hodgkins, the owner of Potterspury-based Charlotte Designs, created the design for the 11 flats being built in the former Age UK building on Billing Road.

Sarah, who has also created murals for schools, care homes and businesses, designed the mural in keeping with the garden, which features tropical flowers and plants.

"I think, particularly at the moment, murals are a source of joy. As someone who's been painting murals for 16 years now, the overriding purpose of them is to bring joy and happiness,” she said.

“We decided that, because the garden is in a shaded area and because we spend a lot of time in the cold in this country, we wanted something that evoked feelings of warmth.

"So we decided that the tropical foliage would be the better route to go down.”

Some flats will be available for doctors and nurses to rent at lower rates, while some will be available for families with loved ones in hospital.

Reemal Rabheru, owner of R2G Developments, the firm behind the flats, said he wanted to create a more 'upmarket' scheme that will appeal to staff working at the hospital.

“I decided to offer a discount for doctors and nurses because, being next to a hospital, it fits in with the location of the development and it’s nice to give something back to the community,” he said.

“The mural adds a bit of a wow factor and just makes the gardens a bit nicer for people that are renting, because there are too many rogue landlords out there.”

Dulux donated cans of its Dulux Weathershield paint to the project, which enabled Sarah to achieve a smooth exterior finish and will allow the mural to withstand harsh and changing weather conditions.

Leftover paint will be donated to Dulux’s Community RePaint Scheme in Northampton, to be used for projects in the future.

Dulux UK creative director Marianne Shillingford added: “Colour has the ability to transform lives and communities and this mural is a perfect example of how design can bring people together and create a focal point in neighbourhoods.

“We’re delighted we’ve been able to work with Sarah through Dulux Weathershield to support this project and ensure the design stays fresh and bright for a long time.”