Artist Jeanne Marie Eayrs is a firm believer that art can help brighten up the environment.

The mum-of-one helped organise Under Croydon, an arts project which transformed the pedestrian subway beneath Croydon's flyover into a colourful mural.

Working with Croydon Council, Jeanne Marie managed to pull in enough business sponsorship to enthuse more than 600 volunteers to take part in the three-month project last spring.

And now she has set her sights firmly on her next project a mural portraying Croydon's past on a temporary wooden structure by the side of Yates' building in Park Street.

She said: "It is important to retain the past and to conserve people's memories. We felt this would work well on the mural."

Planning permission has been received from Croydon Council and an application for £5,000 funding towards the £12,500 cost of the project has been sent to the Arts Council.

Once funding is approved a full-scale visual design will be submitted to the council, which Jeanne Marie hopes will be completed by July.

"We hope to have everything organised in the next two-and-a-half months. We will then hold workshops to create the design.

"We hope to have this mural painted in September and completed in October in time for One World Week. The painting will be on external plywood so that it can be moved around."

In the spring of 2003, Under Croydon took on the enormous task of painting the subway beneath Croydon's flyover.

The mural focused on the natural environment. It was the result of months of hard work by Jeanne Marie with designs for the murals painted by 600 artists of all ages.

The subway was opened by the Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Jane Avis, last summer.

Jeanne Marie said: "The purpose of the Under Croydon project was to transform the pedestrian experience of using our local subway from a threatening to an inviting experience."

Feedback has been positive and Jeanne Marie is keen to see the trend continue.

"We need a good atmosphere in Croydon to encourage visitors to the borough and this is not just about the shops.

"To encourage different types of people to the town we need a cultural atmosphere so people are inclined to stay for the day, feel safe and be a part of the area."

If you are interested in getting involved with the project as a sponsor or artist, call Jeanne Marie on 020 8680 3914.

l Next week is the start of Shirley Oaks Hospital's sponsored month for health.