Arriva Rail London (ARL) colleagues have collaborated with the Bethnal Green community on a project that combines creativity and community support. In partnership with local charity Good Shepherd Mission (GSM), ARL helped residents bring a new ceramic mural to life at the London Overground (LO) station – while also supporting GSM’s vital work through a charitable grant.  

The partnership was instigated by ARL sales assistant and local resident, Dudu Miah. Moved by the growing number of people he saw each morning queuing for food support outside GSM – just across from Bethnal Green LO station – Dudu nominated the organisation for a £1,000 grant from ARL’s charity fund. The proposal received unanimous support from the internal panel in May.  

GSM plays an important role in the area, providing food support, ESOL classes for women, recovery programmes, and after-school clubs. The charity’s roots in Bethnal Green stretch back to 1856, beginning with the Good Shepherd School. The current church and community work grew out of a youth club that began in the building in 1980, eventually developing into the organisation it is today. 

Following the charity award, Dudu joined Samantha Nakirya, ARL’s stakeholder and community manager, for a visit to GSM to explore how the relationship could grow further – aligning with ARL’s Social Impact Strategy.  Inspired by the organisation’s deep local roots and history of service, ARL invited GSM to help shape the ARL Community Murals project, part of a wider LO art initiative. 

Led by artist Maud Milton and her team at Artyface, the project involves creating bespoke ceramic murals at four LO stations: Bethnal Green, Barking Riverside, South Acton and Acton Central. Each mural is made up of hand-crafted ceramic tiles created by local people through community workshops and school sessions. Every tile reflects a personal story, memory or aspect of local identity. These murals are part of the Weaver project, funded by Trinity Buoy Wharf, to celebrate the Weaver line on the London Overground. 

GSM hosted a tile-making workshop earlier this year that brought together more than 50 local residents, including 18 young people. For many, it was their first time working with clay. Their handmade tiles will form part of a permanent mural at Bethnal Green station, celebrating the diversity and spirit of the neighbourhood. 

Ryan Lynch, programme manager at GSM, said: “It was a very special occasion to have the Arriva Rail London mural workshop facilitate an opportunity for local residents to contribute to the aesthetics of an important community infrastructure and landmark like Bethnal Green London Overground station.”