Church tower to benefit from 'Words for Peace’

12:00pm Tuesday 29th April 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A 100-YEAR-old church tower in Old Trafford has become the unlikely canvas for a spectacular work of art.

'Words for Peace' is the work of internationally-acclaimed artist Stephen Raw, who enlisted around 300 members of the community to help create the giant print.

"We can hopefully begin to have discussions about where there isn't peace - in Old Trafford as well as around the world."

Rev Hughes

It bears the word PEACE' in 20 different languages spoken by members of the multicultural community of Old Trafford.

The 17-metre tall work is now displayed on the tower of St John's Church on Ayres Road, which celebrates its centenary this year.

The massive artistic effort, involving workshops and sessions with schools, community groups and residents, took more than six months to complete.

Stephen has been using the crypt of St John's Church as a studio for around 18 months. He developed the idea for the artwork in collaboration with the Rev John Hughes, priest-in-charge of the Church of St John the Evangelist.

It was officially opened, along with the church's new Garden of Remembering, on April 27 at by the Mayor, Bernard Sharp, and Professor Awadalla Youssef. The Mayor was one of the contributors to the artwork, writing the word Shalom,' meaning peace in Hebrew, in recognition of his own Jewish heritage.

Funding for both the artwork and the Gardening of Remembering was secured from Safer Stronger Communities Fund and ERDF, administered through environmental regeneration agency Groundwork of Manchester, Salford, Tameside and Trafford, and Old Trafford Neighbourhood Management.

Stephen said: "In the current climate the nature of peace is a good discussion to have, but for me it is not just a simple idea that if we were just more kind to each other then we could have peace. It is actually inspired by the quote that Peace is the fruit of justice, and can grow on no other tree'."

Rev Hughes added: "It is a gesture that is designed to stimulate conversation so that we can hopefully begin to have discussions about where there isn't peace - in Old Trafford as well as around the world."