INDUSTRIOUS residents in Blackbird Leys and Littlemore have pieced together two works of art for their communities to treasure for years to come.

A finished mosaic of a blackbird carrying a string of bunting has been installed at The Barn in Greater Leys and will be officially unveiled on Monday.

It was the product of 50 hours of local forums, designing and workshops led by adult learning provider the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA).

WEA development worker Emma Carney said: “It has been quite a lot of planning and project management, but we are really pleased the mosaic has gone ahead.

“People aged 20 to 90 took part in the workshops.

“They have learned new skills they can transfer to other people or teach to their grandchildren at home.

“Another key thing has been raising confidence and self-esteem. We had a lady with severe depression who said it was a great reason to get out of the house.”

Work began in April with focus groups around the Leys, involving elderly group Friendleys, Longlands care home and the Leys Children’s Centre.

Then in July workshops started, involving about 20 people from the estate, who painstakingly recreated a design by Oxford mosaic artist Clare Goodall.

Ms Carney added: “We got a whole range of people’s ideas on what should be depicted and those were fed back to Clare, who came up with the idea of the bird with bunting coming out of its beak.

“She has been working as an artist for 20 years within Oxford communities.”

On Monday from 2pm there will be a celebration to officially unveil the mosaic at The Barn to which all are invited.

Elsewhere the work goes on in Littlemore, where people of all ages and abilities are putting together a second mosaic to adorn Littlemore Community Centre.

Resident Wendy Markham, a retired artist herself, said: “It has been really good. It’s a friendly class and we are making something that will be joyful for the community.

“It depicts aspects of Littlemore. It’s got the roads, the river, the hospital and some of the churches. It’s about village life.”

The mosaic is likely to be finished in January.