Colm Denvir (left) and Seamus Kelly from Bawnmore Community Association with John Read from the Housing Executive and artist Janet Crymble at the nativity scene in Bawnmore, restored with help from a £3,000 grant from the Housing Executive In Short
After 100 years nativity statues from a North Belfast church have been restored with the help of young people, an artist, and the Housing Executive.
Over time the figures were substantially damaged but restoration work from local young people, shepherded by Antrim artist Janet Crymble, has given them a new lease of life just in time for the festive season.
Almost £3,000 (€3350) was provided by the Housing Executive, through its Building Relationships In Communities programme.
Seamus Kelly from Bawnmore Community Association said that a local priest told him he was going to dump broken statuettes from St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church.
Mr Kelly said: “Many of the older parishioners remember these being on display when they were children – it’s reckoned they’re around 100 years old.”
Artist Janet Crymble agreed to take on the restoration project and worked with young people in the area to clean the figures, produce new molds and replace and re-attach limbs.
The figurines will be on display in the Bawnmore area in the run up to Christmas.
Seamus said: “It’s really given the community a lift – for seven weeks at the darkest time of the year this nativity scene will be on display at Bawnmore Park and will brighten up our community.”