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Street art meets conservation as nature education space gets a bold new look

The Den with it's artwork refresh

Nature education space gets a colourful refresh.

Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve is celebrating a colourful transformation of its Education Den, thanks to an exciting partnership with Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens. Renowned mural artist Frank Styles has turned the once‑grey building into a striking, street‑art‑inspired celebration of nature, community, and creativity.

During the summer, Frank spent time at the nature reserve creating a mural that captures a year in the life at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve. An eye-catching, multi‑coloured story is now splashed across the front of the Den and its linking fence. A piece of public art, bringing new energy to one of the reserve’s important learning spaces.

The project saw Frank leading a spray‑painting session with the Trust’s ‘Conservation Rangers’ – a group of young conservation volunteers – who then saw their work transformed into the finished mural.

A long metal container painted with a colourful wildlife mural at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve. The artwork shows a vivid blue‑and‑orange kingfisher perched on a branch against a green leafy background, while a black‑and‑white bird in flight decorates the grey and blue side panels. The container sits on a wooden deck surrounded by greenery, blending art and nature in a creative outdoor space.

Mid-way through the artwork process.

A long metal container painted with a vibrant wildlife mural. The artwork features a black‑and‑white bird in flight on the left, a robin perched on a branch in the centre, and a large butterfly with white wings and orange tips near a bright blue‑and‑orange kingfisher on the right. The backgrounds shift from grey to blue to green leaf patterns, creating a lively nature scene. The container sits outdoors beside greenery and parked vans.

The finished artwork on The Den

The new space was officially launched in the summer, at an event hosted by the Trust for all those involved. The refreshed Den will be used for school visits, youth groups and wildlife exhibitions. 

John Hayton, Education Projects Officer for Durham Wildlife Trust, said: “It was a pleasure to watch our young volunteers using their creative flare - under Frank’s expert guidance - to put their new artistic skills into practice. The finished result in remarkable. The Den is a space that lets us shelter from the elements while we are learning together about wild spaces and the importance of the natural world. The new, nature-themed exterior makes it a space everyone is proud of.”

The Rangers programme is open to 11–18-year-olds and plays a central role in conservation at the Trust’s reserves. Sessions run monthly and participants can expect to learn practical conservation skills, deepen ecological knowledge, and spend time outdoors. Volunteering hours that can count towards the Duke of Edinburgh Award or be recorded as work experience. Find out more.

This project was funded by the Going Places is an Art Fund programme. Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens’ contribution to Going Places is lead by Sunderland Culture.

Going Places is an Art Fund programme made possible with major support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Julia Rausing Trust, with additional support from a generous group of trusts, foundations and individuals. 

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