Kind-hearted young people create new sensory mosaic sign for Forth Valley Sensory Centre

Amna Anwar, Eva Robertson, Sophie Wood, Heather Fleming, Georga Beattie, Lucy Ismail and Megan Donaldson completed the artwork at the Camelon centre as part of their Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award.

The 16-year-olds were joined by Stirling University psychology student Emily Purcell, who was on placement with the sensory centre, to complete the sign over three days last month. The teenagers fundraised for the project, and sourced all the necessary materials including timber, tiles, grout, glue and jewels, from local companies.

The sign spells out ‘Welcome FVSC’ and replaces a tired tile art close to the centre’s sensory garden. The group used different colours and textiles, ensuring it is interactive and accessible for those with reduced sight or profound sight loss by contrasting the tiles between the background and foreground.

The group of seven teenagers are all pupils at Braes, Falkirk and St Mungo’s high schools and completed the project as their community aspect of the Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award. The award programme, run by the Outward Bound Trust, supports young people to develop their confidence and build on life skills.

Hannah Wilson, volunteer co-ordinator at Forth Valley Sensory Centre, said: “We were delighted to welcome the group of young people, as well as our student placement Emily, to the centre to complete this project. It was great that the girls were so interested in the centre despite having no prior connection to the work we do.

"The enthusiasm and energy they brought was fantastic – they were so upbeat and eager to make our new sign as high quality and accessible as possible. They sourced all the materials and did all the work unassisted, and we are so happy with the result and grateful to the group who took part. The new mosaic sign has renovated what was a very tired looking piece of artwork and has brightened up our outside area, while also using colour contrasts that can be read by those with reduced sight, and textures that can be felt by those who are blind.”