In November 2016, Graham Taylor officially reopened a refurbished Meriden Community Centre after almost two million pounds of investment; now in 2021, as we approach its fifth year of operation, MurWalls have installed artwork honouring his community legacy.
The artwork itself, as well as a quote from GT, was selected by Watford FC Community Sports and Education Trust in conjunction with their patrons - the Taylor family.
When it came to the unveil, it was only right that Rita Taylor came to oversee the new addition.
MurWalls are a collective of graffiti artists who have a passion for art and football. Their aim is to bring officially licenced street art into homes and towns across the country and they have had work commissioned for football clubs such as Manchester City, Liverpool and West Ham.
CEO of MurWalls, Marc Silver, said of the art installation: “Graham Taylor represents everything that I love about football. It was not just what he was doing with his team on the pitch, but it was his spirit and desire to change the lives of the supporters.
"Watford FC have always been a club that look after their community and Graham was always at the forefront of this mentality. The club embraced his forward-thinking concepts, and his legacy is truly alive today.
"It was an honour to gift this mural to the Trust. Giving back is part of our DNA at MurWalls and Graham certainly has a huge part to play in inspiring us to do so. We hope that this mural is appreciated by all of Graham’s family and friends as well as the centre visitors.
"We're now excited to continue working with Watford FC and their Community Sports and Education Trust.”
Steve Williams, Head of Facilities and Inclusion at the Trust, said: “Graham Taylor is always within our minds at the Trust, and at the Meriden Community Centre where he was our guest at the official reopening in 2016. The mural provides us all with a physical reminder of his legacy, as well as having been a great supporter of our work.
"We’ll always be grateful to MurWalls for providing us with this fantastic artwork and I’m sure the staff, our volunteers and centre visitors will enjoy viewing it.”
Members of the public can view the artwork at Meriden Community Centre (Garsmouth Way, Watford, WD25 9ET), as well as take part in a range of activities, and make use of their facilities by contacting the reception on 01923 894862 or emailing reception@meridencc.com
