Mural is fitting tribute to area's history

THIS fantastic work of art takes centre stage at a social club which will reopen this weekend almost a year after a huge fire ripped through its roof.
Portrait artist, Diane Benn, with her unique mural in the newly refurbished Swallownest Miners Welfare Club. 170656-4Portrait artist, Diane Benn, with her unique mural in the newly refurbished Swallownest Miners Welfare Club. 170656-4
Portrait artist, Diane Benn, with her unique mural in the newly refurbished Swallownest Miners Welfare Club. 170656-4

Portrait artist Diane Benn created the mural on the wall of Swallownest Miners’ Welfare Club after being enlisted by her brother-in-law and club secretary Glenn Watts.

It will greet visitors to the Rotherham Road club when it opens for the first time since the blaze on May 31 last year.

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Diane (51) said: “Glenn got in touch and said he wanted to do something creative for the miners.

“He sent me a picture of the wall and the first thing that stood out was the three round windows - I just thought they would make great miners’ lamps.

“I drew up some designs and everybody said it was really dramatic and gritty which is what I wanted to reflect because that’s what the working life of a miner was like.”

The piece dominates a wall in the club’s concert room, which has been completely revamped following the fire.

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The mural, which took Diane around a week to complete, features three miners and incorporates round windows as the lamps on their helmets.

Diane said: “I think the piece brings in the underground theme quite subtly, which I really like.

“Mining was such an important part of this area and its heritage and I feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of it.”

Glenn said most of the damage from the blaze had been caused by the amount of water firefighters had to use to bring it under control.

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He said: “The fire took hold in the gap between the tin roof and the ceiling so the only way the firefighters could put it out was from the inside.

“The roof was obviously badly damaged but the majority of the damage was from the water they had to use.”

Glenn, who is also chairman of Swallownest Miners’ Welfare Football Club who play at the base, also said mining played an important part in the village’s history.

He said: “The mural isn’t just important from the club’s point of view, it’s important from the community’s point of view.

“We wanted to showcase the area’s heritage and the work of the miners.”

The club will reopen at 12.30pm on Monday, including the revamped concert room.

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