Colourful mosaic benches in Charlton are given a facelift after 40 years

BY JAMES TWOMEY
james@slpmedia.co.uk

Little by little, bit by bit, two women have repaired a neighbourhood’s little known feature.

The colourful mosaic benches in Troughton Road, Charlton, have been a surprising fixture in the residential area and have long been in need of a makeover.

It is fitting that the woman who helped build the benches in 1980 should be the one to repair them nearly four decades later.

Carol Kenna, from Kinveachy Gardens, Charlton, built the benches attached to the Salvation Church – which was then the Rathmore Youth Centre – with the help of children and adults from the youth centre as part of their ‘Past, Present and Future of Charlton’ project.

Now Carol’s company Greenwich Mural Workshop, set up in 1974, has taken up the task of repairing the damaged and lost mosaic tiles.

“The tiles are the same material and we use the same colour where we can, but over the 40 years the colour of the tiles has changed a bit,” said Carol.

“More than three years ago someone asked local guide The Greenwich Phantom what was happening with the bench and wrote an article about it.

“I’ve been installing bits and pieces as I walk past, but then I talked to the church as locals were asking what could be done.

“We made an application with the church through the Greenwich Growth Fund and a grant was given by public vote.

“It’s been really nice. People stop and talk to us about it and some people have even stopped and said ‘I helped make that’.

“Everyone is so pleased it’s being repaired which is really pleasing.”

Claire Notley, from Yarlton Way in Erith, has been working for Greenwich Mural Workshop on and off for 20 years and said she found them by luck when she was a 17-year-old art student.

“I was at college studying art and design and then we got a training opportunity and Greenwich Mural Workshop held a class,” said Claire.

“It feels fantastic to be repairing this. It’s such a visually quick experience as we put the tiles in which is really satisfying to see it come back to life. But after 40 years of vandals and the elements it’s done really well.”

The project will end at the end of September and there will be a ceremony in October to mark its redecoration.

Hopefully after Carol and Claire’s efforts, the benches will last for 40 more years.