TWO local artists have volunteered to brighten up the walls of Sanford House in Swindon with dozens of colourful paintings.

Ruth Wintle and Marilyn Trew have provided 42 paintings to adorn the hub for voluntary, community and social enterprises, close to the town centre. Picturesque landscapes, sweeping panoramas of flowers, postcard-pretty depictions of buildings and detailed studies of animals and wildlife are among the paintings the two women have loaned to decorate the meeting rooms, corridors and public spaces within the busy building.

Marilyn went to Art School in Sutton, Surrey in the early 1960s, when she was 16, but did not complete the course.

She put her art career on hold for many years while she ran a thriving counselling practice, until she picked up her paint brushes again just four years ago. Since then, she has been making up for lost time and is a prolific painter, and one who is keen to share her love of art with others.

“I’m a member of the Swindon Artists Forum based in the Brunel Centre,” she said. “I paint in acrylics or water colour. I’ve done pictorial maps, landscapes and heritage places like Silbury Hill.”

Marilyn finds inspiration in the natural world, her garden, mountains, the sea and the power of storms: “I love Wiltshire for all its pagan interest.”

Ruth too trained in art when she was young – she did an art foundation at Swindon School of Art having loved the subject when a pupil at Parks Senior High and come from an artistic family. But raising a family and her working life kept her busy until she retired, around six years ago.

“I like to paint historical water colours, and animals,” she says. “I enjoy creative drawing with pen and ink, then I paint them afterwards.”

The two women also run art groups for aspiring painters at the Grange Leisure Centre in Stratton, and at Savernake Street. All the artwork at Sanford House is for sale, and prices of the pictures range from around £50 to £150.

“The hub is working really well, but we thought we needed something to brighten up the interior and fill some of the many bare spaces on the walls,” explains Richard Hill, chief executive officer for Voluntary Action Swindon, which manages Sanford House. “So we’ve teamed up with Ruth and Marilyn, who met four years ago through their love of art. Ruth and Marilyn run two successful art groups, including one for Swindon Carers.”

The idea of engaging local artists to display their work at Sanford House has been talked about since 2014, he says, but the project turned out to be a slow burner.

“There’s a lot of footfall through here. There are probably about a hundred members of staff and volunteers in the building, and they all get to enjoy it. And the service users – it’s great for them. People come here for help, support, advice and advocacy. This is nice, calming art, and it’s very conducive to a supportive, atmosphere,” Richard said. “The intention is to gradually rotate the artwork and invite other artists to exhibit there too. Most of the paintings are also for sale, with the artists agreeing to share proceeds with local charities.

“Not only has this brought some extra colour and brightness to this lovely heritage building in the town centre, but it has created another space for local artists to exhibit their work – and I’m told available spaces tend to be in short supply.”

As pieces are sold, the spaces will be filled with new work by Ruth, Marilyn or other local artists.

Sanford House, in Sanford Street, also known as Swindon Advice and Support Centre, was once the Sanford Street Boys’ School and the building was the creation of architect Brightwen Binyon, who also designed the town hall in Regent Street. Sanford House began a new lease of life as a central hub for charitable services in 2014, when Voluntary Action Swindon took a lead role in its development and then responsibility for its management.

Sanford House is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and offers a place of contact for the Alzheimer’s Society, Citizens Advice Swindon, DASH (Discovering Autistic Spectrum Happiness), the Enham Trust, Healthwatch Swindon, Lift Psychology, the Royal Voluntary Service, Swindon Advocacy Movement, Wiltshire Law Centre, Swindon Mind, Swindon Carers Centre and Shopmobility.

For more information, visit vas-swindon.org.