A VIVID piece of artwork showcasing the rich and diverse culture of Whitehaven is going on display in a town museum.

The official launch of the Whitehaven Wave project, celebrating the town’s history as a port, took place at The Beacon Museum yesterday.

The finished artwork, created by youngsters and local volunteers, shows ships from far and wide, that once brought tobacco from Virginia or sugar from the Caribbean, or off to trade their cargo of coal from the local mines.

The project has been headed by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). Bob Walley, who has run the project, said: “Whitehaven has had an incredible history of rich culture and diversity down the years.

“The Whitehaven Wave stands as a reminder for everybody, that people from all over the world have come and gone from Whitehaven throughout its history. From merchants and traders in the 1600s, to the present day international medical students who attend the university. This is something that will carry on in the future for the town too, and so is definitely something to be celebrated!”

This project, run by UCLan’s Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership (CVCL), involved international medical students from UCLan’s Westlakes Campus in Moor Row.

The students volunteered for the project which went into St Begh’s Catholic Junior School in Whitehaven and The Beacon Museum. Open community events were also held at Whitehaven Marina where anyone could get involved in creating the Whitehaven Wave art piece.

It was also supported throughout by Suzanne Wilson, from the UCLan Centre for Citizenship and Community, who has been running a Connected Communities research project by creating a local ‘Girls’ Gang’ group.

Suzanne said: “Girls’ Gang has been involved in community research and social actions to better understand and support their community. The Whitehaven Wave helped to build on this, adding to the groups existing knowledge about their community, both past and present.”

The finished artwork will be exhibited in the reception of the Beacon Museum until later in the summer. Thee artwork will then be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to a local mental health charity.