ARTWORK by Bewdley schoolchildren is brightening up the safety hoardings surrounding the town’s new medical centre development.

Construction workers at the Dog Lane site have enlisted the help of children from Bewdley Primary School, who through a unique arts competition, have created a Bewdley mural featuring local landmarks including the town’s bridge over the River Severn.

The arts contest, which pupils entered anonymously after producing their artwork at home, also saw sixth form students from the Bewdley School and Sixth Form Centre supporting the seven winning pupils to re-create their artwork onto the hoardings which will cheer up the site while construction takes place on the £7 million building.

Once the medical centre is completed next summer, it is hoped elements of the mural will be reduced and turned into a permanent collage within part of the new centre.

Benniman Construction Group, who are building the state-of-the-art medical centre and library on behalf of the GPs at Wyre Forest Heath Partnership and development partner Matrix Medical, are also set to get local pensioners involved to decorate other parts of the hoardings as part of their role as members of the national Considerate Constructors scheme.

Roger Wilks, site manager and who also judged the competition, added: “The children have come up with inspiring murals as part of the competition and they have really lifted the site.

“We are delighted the school worked so closely with us and hope everyone walking past the site in the coming months will stop to take a look at what the children have produced.”

Helen Humphrey, from Bewdley Primary School, said: “The children were very excited to be putting their talents to use in such a prominent, public place in Bewdley.

“As they grow up they’ll see their work on display and I know they will feel a sense of pride and achievement in it for years to come.

The school’s winning pupils were Ursula Coldrick, Ellie Leach, both eight, Erin Flack, Eve Westbury, Orla Southall, all nine, seven-year-old Matthew Pickford and 10-year-old Cassie Giles.

Meanwhile, construction bosses at the site have confirmed the new 25,000 square foot three-storey medical centre remains on course to open as planned in summer 2016 with the building’s steel structure and much of the ground work completed last month.

The finished building will include a pharmacy, 25 consulting and treatment rooms, meeting spaces, specialist baby changing areas and the latest medical technology to allow doctors to carry out minor operations. It will also house the town’s new library and public café while having expansion space available to the GPs and complimentary healthcare providers who wish to have a presence in Bewdley.