Setting the bench-mark in Luton

Marshalls Landscape Protection, part of hard landscaping manufacturer Marshalls Group has supplied five benches to Luton Council as part of an exciting community project led by its Talking Takes Off Team and funded by the Department for Education’s ‘Early Outcomes Fund’.

The project paired graphic artists with nursery and primary school children across Luton to develop designs for communal benches in the city. Led by Luton Council’s Talking Takes Off Team and in collaboration with the Early Years Alliance, Flying Start and Luton 2040, the installations are injecting a sense of fun and colour into the local area. To this end, the benches have been installed in Wardown Park Arboretum, Stockwood Park, Runley Road Recreation Area, Manor Road Recreation Park and Icknield Recreation Park.

As per its involvement, Marshalls Landscape Protection supplied five of its Escofet Flor Benches to the exciting project. As well as supplying the solutions, Marshalls Landscape Protection’s installation team was on hand to install the benches and provide assistance throughout. Likewise, the company’s team assisted the local council in ensuring a smooth delivery, handling a number of logistical challenges.

Luton Council launched the new initiative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has greatly affected schoolchildren across its region. To begin with, the children were asked to devise ideas for the bench designs. As part of the brief, the children incorporated elements of the dreams and ambitions they have for when the pandemic is over into these plans. The professional illustrators then transformed the children’s ideas into high quality artworks, which were subsequently painted onto the benches.

The Escofet Flor Benches feature a radical biomorphic design, which permits paired or individual usage. Contemporary and artistic, the urban street furniture system was designed around the concepts of equality and diversity, allowing architects to create spaces, which encourage community activity. As such, the solutions were the ideal choice for this project and provided ample space to incorporate the children’s design plans.

Speaking on the new project, Jaz Vilkhu, Managing Director at Marshalls Landscape Protection commented: “We’re delighted to have played a role in this wonderful new initiative. It’s amazing to see these fantastic designs, which have been supplied by local schoolchildren and translated into benches by a host of brilliant artists. Following the COVID-19 crisis, many children have had their lives drastically changed. However, we believe this project can bring back into focus the opportunities that await them once things finally get back to normal."

Speaking on the new installations, Councillor Aslam Khan, Portfolio Holder for Education at Luton Council commented: “In the past year, due to the pandemic many creative children’s engagement projects, ideas and investments have slowed down or stopped. We believe this is an opportunity to engage deeply with children in an innovative and engaging way and deliver colourful and uplifting pieces of street furniture that will brighten our lives as we return to socialising outdoors over the summer.”

For more details about the Marshalls Landscape Protection range of commercial street bench solutions, please visit: https://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/landscape-protection/benches