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Before & After

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Front view of colorful Co-Creative Connection mural, featuring a blue, green and yellow background, poppies, white stars, white hearts, blue circles and an orange triangle. CCC logo seen in the bottom right

Empowering Young Voices Through Collaborative Art: The Mitcham Eastfield's Mural

Young girl drawing onto pink piece of paper. DIOR logo seen on paper, along with other sitckers and doodles. Art materials scattered on table.

​​Partners: Co-Creative Connection (CCC), Clarion Housing, JJ Rhatigan Construction

Location: Poppy Heights 109 Clay Ave, Mitcham, CR4 1BU in Mitcham Eastfield's. 
Date: 2025

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Young boy and girl holding up their artwork. The girl on the left smiles while holding up a blue piece of paper decorated with a house drawing, some tinsel, other scribbles and holes punched out around the sides. The boy on the right smiles while holding a blue piece of paper with coloured textured materials in square, cut-outs of people and a textures triangle. He also has hole-punches circles at the bottom of the paper.

The Vision

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This project set out to transform a new social housing building in Mitcham Eastfield's through meaningful collaboration with local children. Our aim was to co-create a mural that celebrates creativity, community, and the vibrant spirit of the area. Through a creative workshop with children aged 7–14, the mural design was built directly from their ideas - colourful mood boards, personal drawings, and imaginative conversations that shaped every element.

The Journey

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Creative Workshops with Local Children: Led by CCC’s founder, Rose Hill, a group of 30 children aged 7–14 took part in an imaginative mood-board workshop at Acacia Adventure Playground. Through play, conversation, and creative exploration, the children shared their ideas for what they wanted to see in a mural that would brighten and reflect their community.

CCC founder, Rose, and Sonam, paid artist, stand and smile in their Co-Creative Connection (CCC) t-shirts. They are in a workshop setting with colourful childrens drawings in the background.
A young boy and girl sat at a blue table, working on their artwork. They are both drawing onto the same blue sheet, which features cutouts and patterned stickers

Bringing the Mural to Life: Each idea shared by the children, from orange triangles and stars to butterfly-like hearts and blooming poppies, were carefully incorporated into the final mural design. Painted entirely by Rose, the mural was shaped by inspiration from the young workshop participants and feedback from local residents. The wall transformed into a vibrant celebration of Mitcham Eastfield's' creativity and community spirit.

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I'm so proud that my design is on this mural! Mason Local artist Age 10

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"Me too" Havana Local artist Age 7

CCC mural in progress, featuring a green section, yellow section and blue section. The green section has six symmetrical white hearts. The yellow section has large blue circles. The blue section is blank. Construction hoarder surrounds.
CCC founder, Rose, working on painting a poppy onto the colourful mural. The poppy is pink in colour and Rose is painting the dotted black centre

The Impact

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The mural at Poppy Heights Housing Estate has quickly become a joyful landmark for the Mitcham Eastfield's community. For the children who contributed their ideas, it’s a powerful reminder that their voices matter and can shape the spaces they live in. The process reinforced a sense of pride, creativity, and agency - values that will stay with them.

Art That Connects

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The Mitcham Eastfield's mural stands as a vibrant testament to community creativity. Inspired by the children who live and play there, it brighten their  space, sparks imagination, and inspire connection for years to come.

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A young girl draws onto a white piece of paper, while sat at a blue table, She is holding a pink pen. The paper current includes a collage of a face. On the table, art materials including pencils, pens and cellotape is visible, as well as an open magazine

"Rose has created a beautiful mural with the help from children who attend the local school. It’s colourful, eye catching and will be a focal point on the regenerated estate at Eastfields, Mitcham. Thanks Rose, we love it!"

Ann Balwin TRA member

About The Design

Learn about the individuals who participated in this project and the thought process behind the design choices for each section of the mural

The completed Co-Creative Connection (CCC) mural, with six white symmetrical hearts, large blue circles, an orange triangle, white stars, pink poppies, purple and orange flowers and the CCC logo, on top of blue green and yellow square sections

Havana and many of the children loved stars and circles, and included them in their designs

A young girl holding up her artwork, featuring a drawn house, heart scribble, pink tinsel and hole-punched holes. The girl is smiling widely

Kim loved the symmetrical hearts and thought they looked like butterflies, which inspired the white hearts in the final mural

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A girl holds up a blue piece of paper decorated with cut outs of text and colours, as well as hole punched circled and stars around the border. Girl's face not visible
A young child works on their artwork, sticking down a cut-out of a woman. Also on the page are heart shapes cut-outs as well as circle shaped cut outs. They are working on a blue table surrounded by a magazine, drink and other materials
Young child holds up green piece of paper, decorated with collage cut-outs of women. The paper also includes cut outs of colour gradients in green and blue. Childs face not visible

Many of the children said they wanted an orange triangle included in the mural

Green rectangles, stars, circles and flowers were featured on a number of the children’s mood-boards

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A young boy smiles while holding a blue piece of paper with coloured textured materials in square, cut-outs of people and a textures triangle. He also has hole-punches circles at the bottom of the paper.

Mason included green and yellow squares in his design, as well as large circles in a line 

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A young girl holds up a white piece of paper with designs drawn on, including blue flowers, colourful lines and a butterfly. Collage cut-outs are also decorated on the paper, including a dancing woman and a cut-out of a face

Lucy, along with many of the other children, included flowers in their mood boards. When speaking with residents, they suggested that poppies be featured in the mural. Recognising the meaningful connection to the building it adorns, is called Poppy Heights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who painted the mural?
The mural was hand-painted by Rose Hill CCC founder and artist. Rose translated the children’s ideas and community input into the final design.
How were the children’s ideas incorporated into the mural?
Each child’s contribution, from mood boards and personal drawings to workshop conversations, inspired elements in the design. Every colour, shape and motif was chosen to reflect their ideas.
Can the public visit the mural?
Yes! The mural is located at Poppy Heights 109 Clay Ave, Mitcham, CR4 1BU in Mitcham Eastfield's. 
Close up of CCC founder, Rose, painting the inner section of a poppy. Scaffolding surrounds
How long did the project take?
The mural journey spanned several weeks, starting with planning and workshops in March 2025, and progressing through the painting for five and a half days and finishing stages over the following month.
What materials were used to paint the mural?
We used high-quality, weather-resistant exterior masonry paint designed to withstand outdoor conditions. A clear protective seal was applied afterward to help preserve the artwork over time.
How do you ensure the mural is durable?
All surfaces were prepped thoroughly (cleaned and primed) before painting. We also used UV-resistant paints and sealed the final piece to guard against fading, weather, and general wear.
Table featuring a white piece of paper with colage cut-outs of Vogue, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace, Gucci, Prada, Tiffany & Co and Rolex logos. Girl with braids sits nearby.
What size is the mural?
The mural spans 25.8m², measuring 6 metres wide by 4.3 metres high, and covers the entire wall inset on the side of the new Poppy Heights building.
Did you need permission to paint the wall?
Yes. We worked closely with Clarion Housing, JJ Rhatigan Construction, and local stakeholders to secure permission and ensure the mural aligned with community guidelines and planning considerations.
What tools or equipment were used to paint the mural?
We used a combination of brushes and masonry rollers, along with chalk for initial outlines. A scaffolding was used for higher areas where needed, following proper safety protocols.
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Can the mural be touched up in future if it gets damaged?
Yes. We document the final colours and layout so the mural can be touched up over time if needed, maintaining its appearance and meaning for years to come.
Can CCC deliver a similar mural project in my area?
Yes! We’re always open to new collaborations. Whether you're a school, housing organisation, council, or community group, we’d love to explore ideas with you. Get in touch to start a conversation.
What age groups can you work with?
We tailor each project depending on who’s involved, from early years to older adults. Our workshop formats and design approaches are flexible to suit different ages, needs, and community settings.
If you have more questions about how we work, visit our full FAQ page!
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