Herne Hill’s long underpass between Station Square and Milkwood Road is to be transformed this month (12 September 2018). Around 1,500 local kids from seven primary schools will aim to beat the Guinness World Record for the most contributions to a colour by numbers painting and are aiming to complete this mammoth task on a single day. Organisers are also appealing for the community to join in and help finish the mural between 4 and 8pm.
Kate Hinton said: “The record we were aiming to beat previously stood at 454. Not a doddle, but doable for sure! But just last weekend a new record was set – 1116 participants. Yikes! So, this is a big old call to arms.
“We are asking the general public to help us finish the mural, between 4-8pm on Wednesday 12 September. Hop off the train on the way home and come and colour in! We’ll have a fast-moving process in place, so it will be a quick detour to make a big moment happen. It will also give you the chance to nosy about in the amazing space upstairs above the station – our studio base for the project. “
Register your place in advance for this epic undertaking here on Eventbrite.
Herne Hill Forum commissioned local artist Victor Szepessy to create a design for the 40-metre long mural, incorporating key people, places, fables and myths. Children from seven schools in Herne Hill – Jessop, Michael Tippett, Herne Hill School, St Jude’s, Turney, Rosendale and Judith Kerr – will aim to colour in the mural on just one day.
The record-breaking attempt, led by Herne Hill Forum with funding, resources and support from Aviva, Southeastern, Network Rail, Lambeth council and local businesses, takes on Wednesday 12 September in Station Square, Herne Hill.
Illustrator and muralist Victor Szepessy said: “This massive community colouring in mural came from working with kids on the Brockwell Passage mural. As I was painting the outline on the wall, local kids started running up and asking if they could colour in, so I gave them brushes and paint and we ended up making it together” I hope that creating a nice space together as a community will give the kids and everyone involved a sense of connection to and pride in their area”.
Participants’ need to register their details to submit to the Guinness Book of Records (in confidence). Register your place in advance for this epic undertaking here.
Registration in advance makes this quicker and simpler. Organisers say, if you forget – go along anyway and “we’ll get out our trusty biro and clipboard”.
Strict World Record rules mean any participant who does not complete their section, or who colours outside of the lines of their section will be disqualified; and if more than 10% of participants are disqualified, so is the attempt.
Hinton adds: “So we need all hands on deck for an evening shift of adults, and children accompanied by adults, to help us complete all sections of the mural, build up our number of participants, and help Herne Hill’s children grab the world record.
