Artist Laura unveils mural at Trust eating disorders unit

The finishing touches have been made to a colourful mural at The Phoenix Centre, which is run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT).

The sea scape design, which took over 30 hours to complete, has been created by Cambridge-based artist Laura Matine. Her work was funded by CPFT’s new charity Head to Toe, thanks to generous donations from families and patients to the Phoenix Centre.

The Phoenix Centre is a specialist in-patient and day-patient unit for the treatment of young people aged 13-18 years old with complex eating disorders at the Trust’s Ida Darwin site in Fulbourn, Cambridge.

Laura hopes the mural, which is in the family dining room at the centre, will help create a relaxing environment during therapy sessions.

She said: "I wanted to create a calming space for the service-users and their families. There were lots of ideas from the service-users about what the mural should be. But overall, everyone wanted to create a window into something peaceful for the families, at what can be a really challenging time."

Laura first got the idea for the mural when she ran some art classes for the service-users at The Phoenix Centre during the summer.

She said: "While I was there a few of the young people mentioned how the room felt very ‘clinical’. It was their feedback which gave me the idea to create the seascape.”

Enda Murphy, family therapist at the centre, said "They wanted somewhere uplifting and positive which is why they chose a seascape. It allows them to feel like they are in a different place. Meal times can be very challenging and the family room gives our families the chance to practice eating together again in a supported environment.

“Laura’s work is exceptional and we would all like to thank her for the design she has created.”

One service user on the unit said at the official unveiling of the mural: "I think it's amazing. When I look at it, I imagine I'm on a beach. It's very peaceful."

The Phoenix Centre is one of only a few specialist adolescent eating disorder services in the UK.