A FORMER seamstress who has lived in Donnington her whole life is to become a familiar face at Templars Square shopping centre.

Jean Fisher, 89, is one of the many faces to be featured in a new community art project celebrating the people who live in Cowley, East Oxford and its surrounding areas.

Templars Square Shopping Centre has commissioned the Ark T Centre to create 113 new paintings in a bid to brighten up the shopping centre, in Cowley.

Misss Fisher said: “I’m feeling fine about having my portrait up – it’s quite exciting. Cowley, Donnington and other areas nearby have changed a lot over the years.”

Miss Fisher grew up in Radcliffe Road. Her father, Harry, worked at Morris Motors in Cowley and her mother, Hilda, in a fruit shop in Cowley Road.

She worked as a seamstress at Oxford department store Elliston and Cavell in Magdalen Road.

Leading the project with a number of workshops is community artist Su Frizzell, 45. Her husband, Bill, 56, painted Miss Fisher’s portrait. He said: “We’ve crowned her the queen of Donnington.” 

Templars Square Shopping Centre is funding the £2,500 project.

The final two painting sessions are being held in the Ark T Centre, in Cromwell Road, from 10am until noon on Wednesday and 7pm until 9pm on Monday, September 2. For more information, email Mrs Frizzell on arktplayspace@gmail.com