Mount Maunganui College students paint Hospice Shop kids' area

Mount Maunganui College Year 10 student Manaia Judd. Photo/John Borren

Mount Maunganui College students have been volunteering their time to paint a children's mural in the Mount Hospice Shop.

Year 10 students Jas McVeigh and Manaia Judd were spending their final few days of the school year painting teddy bears, flowers, a minion and other child-friendly artwork on the walls.

Mount Hospice Shop manager David Charlton was looking for something special for the children's area of the shop.

"We wanted to do something a bit different for our customers."

When Charlton approached the college he said the art students were instantly committed to the project.

"Without them we would not have been able to do what we wanted to do. They have made a huge difference to our shop."

Mount Maunganui College head of arts Mike Linklater said painting the mural was made part of the students' end-of-year activities.

"Painting a mural was an activity the students chose," Linklater said.

"It is a win-win. The students' skill levels have improved hugely, this is something they have never done before."

Linklater said the students had painted flowers, teddy bears and other individual characters on the mural.

"There is even a minion thrown in there too."

He said the students had spent three days painting the mural and were expected to be finished soon.