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A new mural celebrating the heritage of the Aber Valley has been unveiled on the site of a new housing development in Abertridwr.

The mural has been created by pupils at Abertridwr’s Ysgol Ifor Bach, alongside illustrator Chris Morgan, from Ystrad Mynach

The artwork has been put up on the site of the former Windsor Colliery site, where 152 homes are being built.

Caerphilly-based housing association United Welsh is behind the scheme, and is working with Caerphilly County Borough Council and the Welsh Government.

The development will include houses and apartments for social rent, affordable rent and sale on the site next to the Welsh-medium primary school, according to United Welsh.

The mural, which is near the entrance to Ysgol Ifor Bach, includes a tree representing the strength and growth of the community, with each leaf designed by a student representing what ‘cynefin’ means to them. Cynefin is a Welsh word that describes the feeling of being at home in a place.

Chris said: “With much of my portfolio being influenced by Welsh history and folklore, I felt this project would be an exciting opportunity to learn more about the local area and share their story through illustration.

“The staff and children at Ysgol Ifor Bach were incredible. We held some workshops where they each produced an illustration to be included in the mural, inspired by what they had learned throughout the course of their project.”

He added: “Being a children’s illustrator, it was so rewarding to work alongside the younger people who read my books and pass on some of my knowledge to the next generation of creatives.”

Ms Dian Morris, acting headteacher at Ysgol Ifor Bach, said: “Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed working with Chris and United Welsh to create a mural celebrating the rich heritage of the Aber Valley.

“They produced some stunning illustrations which are now included in our beautiful mural located next to the entrance of the school.

“As well as being enjoyed by parents and children, we hope the mural will also provide a warm welcome to the community and inspire them to find out more about the history of the area.”