Matthew's mural beneath Brewery Bridge

I got up early as the weather forecast suggested this would be the brightest part of the day.  I needed to record several illustrative scenes which the graphic designer needs by tomorrow for the final Neighbourhood Plan publicity document being delivered to every household in Stroud town. During the last two years I have produced about 70% of all the photos which have been used for various aspects of the Plan's visual presentation, so this feels like the end of the road.

I went to record a wide shot of the southern gateway into Stroud at Wallbridge where a public green for community use is being suggested in the plan close to the first of the actual building developments with housing that are part of the future.  But the weather wasn't at all good, with a very overcast sky and low cloud diminishing the quality of the scene. 

But I did enjoy myself and had several conversations with other people walking by and ended up helping a local artist by filming the beautiful wild garden that has been planted by the council on the edges of the green. I have added one to the 'Extra photos'. Then one of the Canal Trust volunteers working at their Wallbridge Visitor centre walked by and asked if we had seen the new mural and mentioned that the artist was actually there. I couldn't resist walking down to the towpath just below where we were photographing where we found Matthew, his son and some of his friends sitting there under the bridge on the towpath wall.

I asked about how it had been commissioned as I had been involved as a councillor with the Canal Trust's previous problems with random graffiti of no great merit. They had arranged for Matthew to produce this huge mural running the length of the path beneath the bridge of which my blip shows probably just one tenth of its length. I ended up by arranging to do some more formal pictures of it to record it for Matthew, as it will be quite a challenge and an interesting project.

Here I have taken a few liberties with my adjustment of this kingfisher for the blip, but Matthew has quite certain requirements for is recording of the picture before it gets damaged as is probable given its location.

The rest of the day was taken up with various trips to take Helena to and from her school fete as well as filming a formal picture of the newly resurfaced High Street. Other interludes included some street theatre, chats with the former mayor about Lansdown Hall,  and after bumping into Molly, our MEP, I asked her if I could take some portrait pictures of her for a photo library. She is the only Green MEP in England and serves the south-west constituency of England. Unfortunately my camera played up so I hope I can redo that particular job another time.

All in all a good day and busy which is the way I like it, when I can choose what I do.  I'm now not so keen on being busy at other people's behest.