Feathers Association Partners with Chiltern Railways Celebrating Our 90th Anniversary

As part of its 90th anniversary celebrations, Feathers Association announces an exciting partnership with Chiltern Railways. This collaboration marks a charity-first for Feathers, with Chiltern Railways providing funding from their Community Investment Fund to support the development of a 90th Anniversary Bridge Mural Project, to be installed on Rossmore Road Bridge Marylebone. The bridge which is owned by Network Rail will be seen by tens of thousands of commuters each day, and will be unveiled on 30th October.

Both organisations share deep roots in the Marylebone area, where Feathers has been based for over 50 years, after its founding in 1934 in the heart of Marylebone, and its first project site still stands adjacent to Chiltern Railways network.

Chiltern Railways, eager to support the charity’s milestone year whilst also celebrating the 125th anniversary of Marylebone Station, sees this as an opportunity to give back to the local community they have both served for decades.

The 22m long mural has been commissioned from Create Not Destroy and world-renowned DJ, graffiti Artist and Designer Bunny Bread, a former attendee of Feathers between the 1970s – 1980s.’  Having spent his formative years at the club, meeting friends, playing football, and developing his creative talents, he was the obvious choice of artist.

His mural design will reflect his deep belief in the value of youth clubs like Feathers, which provide safe spaces for personal growth, creativity, and friendship.

“I have begun the creation process and this mural for Feathers, where I spent so many important years, feels deeply personal,” said Bunny Bread. “Youth and clubs like Feathers have always played a vital role in our community, and I hope this project helps bring people closer together and instil pride in the area.”

The 90th Anniversary Bridge Mural Project is more than just an installation; it symbolises the important role that community spaces play in nurturing young people. It also highlights the urgent need to support such spaces at a time when many youth and community centres have been forced to close.

Of the partnership and planned installation, Chiltern Railways spokesperson said,” We are delighted to be supporting the Feathers Association to celebrate their 90th anniversary. Our Community Investment Fund aims to deliver social value in local communities, and there is no better example than the fantastic work undertaken by the Feathers Association.

This project has the added benefit of improving the look and feel of Rossmore Road Bridge for local residents, who have campaigned tirelessly over the years to protect the unique character of Marylebone Station.”

Neil Gaskin, programme director for Network Rail Central route, said, “The railway is at the heart of this community so what better way to help Feathers Association celebrate their 90th anniversary than by allowing our railway bridge to be transformed into an impressive piece of art.

Not only does it provide a new focal point for the Marylebone area, but we also hope the design will inspire people to take pride in the area and continue to do so for years to come”.

David Jones, CEO Feathers Association added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Chiltern Railway on this landmark project as part of our 90th anniversary and Chiltern Railways 125th year at Marylebone Station. This collaboration will quite literally act as a gateway to highlighting the importance of spaces like ours in supporting young people, alongside the expansion of Feathers across the UK with several locations in Scotland and Wales, as well as in London.

Bunny Bread’s instillation will serve as a powerful tribute to the impact we’ve had on generations of local youth, and we hope it inspires pride and connection within the community. We are incredibly grateful to Chiltern Railways for their generous support in making this vision a reality.”

The installation on Rossmore Road Bridge in Marylebone will be unveiled on Wednesday 30th October 2024 at 10am.

Funding Youth & Community Projects Across The UK.

Creating opportunities, serving communities.

BNP Paribas Partners with Feathers Association

December 10, 2024
BNP Paribas has donated £20,000 to local charity, Feathers Association, Marylebone, to fund the upgrade and transformation of its IT…

Feathers Marylebone Festive Holiday Programme Timetable

December 6, 2024
This December we’ve got a packed festive programme of activities for children and young people aged 8 – 18. From…

Julius Baer join Feathers for an incite into the local community

November 7, 2024
On Wednesday, November 6, the world-leading wealth management group Julius Baer visited The Feathers Association's flagship center in Marylebone, London.…

Donate to suppport our work.

Helping young people explore new worlds.

Donate Now
Donate Now

David Jones

The Feathers Association CEO

The principal objective of The Feathers Association is to provide opportunities for children, young people and communities to develop in a positive way through informal education, sporting, cultural and recreational activities which the charity has provided since 1934.

Our aim is to enable young people to cope more effectively with the transition from adolescence to adulthood and to enable young people to understand and act on personal, social and political issues which affect their lives, the lives of others and the communities of which they form a part. Additionally we help bring communities together by sharing experiences and learning outcomes.

 
Linkedin

Zoë Sobol

PR Consultant

In a consultancy role, Zoe will lead on the strategic PR planning and media strategy with a view to elevate the charity’s profile and champion its vital work.

With publicity at the forefront, Sobol will deliver and implement a tactical media relations strategy focussed on building media presence, highlighting the impactful project work Feather’s does from its three regional sites in London, Glasgow, and Wales.  Working closely with project teams, corporate partners, its high-profile Ambassadors and building on the momentum of its infamous Feathers Ball, efforts will shine a spotlight on the outreach initiatives directly benefiting young people and families facing adversity in local communities.

  The charity aims to enable young people to cope more effectively with the transition from adolescence to adulthood and to enable young people to understand and act on personal, social and political issues which affect their lives, the lives of others and the communities of which they form a part.

Linkedin

Jackie Elliot

Jackie is chair of Cathcart Consulting, the corporate and marketing communications consultancy she founded in 2004, following her return to the UK from Geneva where she had been global communications director for Rolex. Between Rolex and the present day, Jackie’s work has encompassed mentoring; crisis management; judging many of the profession’s various annual awards; agency trouble-shooting; non-executive directorships; training, coaching, and, most specially, some years as PR Week’s Agony Aunt. She is a Fellow of the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) and was one of the small group of PRCA chair people to develop and implement the Consultancy (now Communications) Management Standard (CMS) – the global benchmark for best practice in the communications business.

Linkedin

Kate Hinton

Kate is an award-winning Public Affairs and PR consultant with experience in business, personal finance, transport, energy, and environment and sustainability sectors. Starting out as a journalist she has spent the bulk of her career in senior communication roles across a variety of organisations including the Environment Agency, Energy Saving Trust, Greenergy and London First. Her key achievements range from: winning a PR Moment award for Clean Air Day’s PR campaign; shortlisted for a CIPR award for Zipcar; an award winning public awareness campaign, Breathe Easy, on air pollution which was supported by Lord Deben and David Coulthard.   

Linkedin

Paul Taylor

Paul is the founder of Taylor Keogh Communications, a London-based PR and public consultancy.   Paul has 30 years in-house and consultancy experience. His client work is primarily focused within the UK energy and clean-tech sectors. Before establishing Taylor Keogh, he was Head of Corporate Affairs at London Electricity/EDF Group where he led the company’s community support work within London.  During his tenure, London Electricity won an FT Arts & Business Award for its work on social inclusion and ethnic diversity, and received Business in the Community’s Company of the Year Award. 

Linkedin

Mike Harrison

Chair of the Feathers Communications Committee

An alumnus of the University of Hull, Mike is a senior communications professional of nearly two decades going from Parliament during the New Labour years, into public affairs and public relations consultancy, followed by in-house corporate. His communications career has covered sectors including financial services, energy and clean tech, infrastructure, housing, and healthcare. Mike has worked with some of the leading companies in the UK including Lloyds Banking Group, National Grid, and Drax Group. He is a liveryman of the Company of Communicators and a Freeman of the City of London.

Linkedin

Ethan Lees

Ambassador & Youth Ambassador Program

As the youngest Trustee of The Feathers, Ethan is intimately aware of many of the anxieties that young people face today. Having been raised in one of the most economically deprived towns in the UK, he has felt firsthand the struggles that many of those who The Feathers has helped face in seeking to break free of the vicious cycle of generational poverty.

Having studied Egyptology at the University of Cambridge as a first-generation student, Ethan has gone on to the beginnings of a career in law. He attained a Graduate Diploma in Law at the University of Law in Manchester and is currently completing a Legal Master’s in Moorgate, London. He has experience as a paralegal from boutique regional to international City law firms, assisting in legal matters ranging from Construction to Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions and Art Restitution.

Ethan also has extensive volunteer experience: At Cambridge, he was elected to the leadership of the United Nations UK Youth Platform, where he coordinated university UN associations across the country. He has had years of experience aiding the Royal British Legion in organising and conducting remembrance ceremonies, and in 2021 he was elected a Town Councillor. 

While time for law students is always scarce, whenever he can, Ethan enjoys epee fencing and theatre. Progressing from having translated Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs and Coptic at University, he is now developing his qualifications in Mandarin.

Linkedin

Beverley Pridie

Finance and Social Justice

A qualified Chartered Accountant and a Doctor of Accounting, Finance and Governance she is able to bring her accounting skills and knowledge to the Feathers Association and is an invaluable asset for the charity in providing necessary balances and checks as part of the board of trustees’ scrutiny and governance function.

 

Beverley is based in the higher education sector and on a senior leadership trajectory, having been involved in the Aurora women’s leadership programme and the 100 Black Professors Now with the Women’s Higher Education Network. She is an innovative and hardworking individual devoted to empowering and inspiring others and in her current role at the University of East London she is very much focused on employability, enterprise and social justice within the institution.

 

Recognised by the professional association AdvanceHE she was awarded Senior Fellowship based on her commitment to promoting social cohesion and social mobility through education and volunteering within communities. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

 

Beverley has a personal interest is around culture of diversity not just within the sector but also in the third sector. She has engaged in charity work which assists young people who are isolated and face deprivation in communities, including for the Somali Social Services and the Shoreditch Trust.

Jonathan Martin

Strategy, Projects and Finance

Info to follow

Linkedin Twitter

Lionel Bunting

Chair to the Board of Trustees

Lionel has always been passionate about inspiring young people and the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, evidenced through his work in higher education leadership over the last 20 years; helping disadvantage young people with The Prince’s Trust; developing and delivering outreach education for schools and colleges and running immersive workshops for charities and their beneficiaries.

Within the higher education sector Lionel is a transformational leader and has been involved in designing and developing institutional wide strategies, plans and interventions in relation to product portfolios, learning and teaching initiatives, recruitment and outreach and equality, diversity and inclusion. Having stepped back from a substantive position in the sector he is currently a visiting lecturer for several higher education institutions including the University of London, Birkbeck University and Falmouth University on their Masters and MBA programmes.

He has had a rich and varied career which has seen him work with the British Council in Sri Lanka and Nigeria; business and farm diversification for the Department of Trade and Industry, Director of a creative marketing consultancy in Manchester managing key accounts for luxury, retail, and professional service brands, and helped over 200 businesses start up directly or through incubator facilities and organisations.

In his personal life Lionel is an avid climber & boulderer both outdoor and indoor and when not on the crags of Kent and Dorset he can be found mountain biking along the South Downs National Park or motorbiking along the south coast; he also makes time to study as he is undertaking his Doctorate in Paris on the commercialisation of higher education product portfolios.

Linkedin Twitter