Abbeyhill mural unveiled

Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack was on hand to unveil the new mural at Abbeyhill railway bridge. The mural was curated and facilitated by LeithLate, funded by the Student Housing Company and given life by Viewpoint’s sheltered housing tenants. The mural was painted by artists Fraser Gray and FiST.

The installation is part of A1derful Abbeyhill, an anti-graffiti community initiative led by The City of Edinburgh Council’s Community Safety Team for the City Centre and Leith, working in partnership with local businesses, schools and residents to clean up the area and to deter graffiti and tagging.

Dorry McLaughlin, CEO of Viewpoint said: “Viewpoint’s vision is Creating Joy in Later Years and Croft an Righ is a great example of the kind of vibrant and healthy communities we create for older people. Our tenants have embraced the opportunity to be part of this project to improve the local area and we are excited to see that their stories and memories of Abbeyhill have inspired this wonderful artwork.”

Bob Crompton, CEO of The Student Housing Company, said: “Once our new Arran House and Brae House developments open in September, we’ll house nearly 1,000 students in Edinburgh. As such, we have a commitment to playing our part in the community and getting involved in the A1derful Abbeyhill anti-graffiti initiative struck a chord with us. Edinburgh is a beautiful city, and we want contribute to keeping it that way so that residents, visitors and students can enjoy it for years to come.”

The Car Tuning Clinic, Watkin Jones, Blackwell Books, Network Rail, Cablecom and Abbeyhill Primary School also helped to make this happen.

Viewpoint is a housing and care provider in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Established in 1947, It is an award winning charity specialising in services for older people.