Published on the This Is Wimbldeon site at http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/local_london/wimbledon/

Mural magic: Young residents display their work on the project's final day. Chris Matuszek.

A community project designed to tackle the problem of graffiti on the Phipps Bridge Estate in Mitcham has been completed. The two-week scheme, which finished last Friday, has been organised by local environmental and regeneration charity Groundwork Merton to look at why young people on the estate are engaging in graffiti. The project came to an end with the unveiling of murals designed and produced by young residents of the estate. As well as giving teenagers the opportunity to create their own graffiti art on boards and walls of the Phipps Bridge Youth Centre, the project was set up to try and deal with residents concerns over graffiti.

A poll carried out by the Merton Partnership Against Crime showed 33 per cent of people living on the estate were affected by graffiti, and of those nearly half thought it was a serious problem. Young people took part in discussions about why people feel the need to graffiti and if there are acceptable and unacceptable forms of it. Graffiti artist Sonia Blair explained the difference between simple tagging, where a name or identifying sign is left, and genuine graffiti art which can have a positive effect on the community.

Young People also met residents to discuss the impact graffiti has had on the estate. Youth and environment co-ordinator for Groundwork Dave Frame organised the project with local artist Penny Leslie. He said: We are really pleased with how the project has gone. The whole thing was about doing something positive and getting young people to contribute to and feel part of the community.

There are much bigger issues here than just graffiti and hopefully we have touched on some of them through this project by giving teenagers and young people something constructive to do.