EARLY last year it became apparent that the wall of the multi-storey car park behind the Town Hall was showing signs of wear and tear and in need of repair.

Barefoot Volunteers sent out a plea to the town — ‘Five wet and windy winters and our butterfly’s in distress

‘Scorching sun and frequent frosts have left it in a mess

‘Bits of it have broken off and the wall is poking through,

‘So we need to make another . . .

And we need some help from you!’

And help they had! Lots of local families joined in the workshop, making clay coils into patterns and matching them up to form the two wings of the new big butterfly.

At the summer meeting of Launceston Youth Council, members were given the opportunity to create their own smaller clay butterflies.

Over the next few months the butterflies were fired and completed, and Barefoot Volunteers went to town once more on painting a verdant landscape topped off with the accumulated wealth of butterflies, large and small.

It was a challenging project with many technical setbacks but the combined skills of artists Barbi and Nev Akroyd, Emma Smith and engineer Paul Griggs resulted in a public art work which is unique to Launceston and a tribute to the community that created it.

The town council has installed a permanent sign to mark the creation of the artwork.

Town clerk, Christopher Drake, said: “When local groups and individual community members are able to engage the community to create art in public spaces it is to be celebrated. The artists, young people, Barefoot Volunteers and Youth Council members should feel very proud”

The young people in attendance at the meeting were: Patrick Morton, Bethany Spink, Lottie Wilson, Eddie Grunder, Shaya Clark, Lawrence Charrett-Dykes, Alex Ilsey, Jessica Moody, Walter Tucker, Meave Watson, George Bearns, Lauren Belringer, Jazmine Willetts, Adam Hazucha, Erin Gregory and Nicholas Jones.