Mosaics unveiled at cafe ceremony

Reunion Cafe owners Sian and David Dawson worked with artist Frances Taylor to design the pieces, which celebrate Batley.

They invited Aspergers support group A-Sharks, the Batley Old People’s Centre luncheon club, local cadets, parents and their kids to construct the colourful works over three months. The pieces were unveiled by the Mayor of Kirklees Ken Smith at Reunion on Tuesday.

Co-owner David Dawson, 47, of Clifton Court, said: “I think we got to know some of our own customers better. We spent time with them, not just serving them. People really enjoyed it and kept asking to come back.”

Sian, 47, added: “This was kick-starting an idea we’ve had from the very beginning – we wanted our cafe to be a showcase for local artists.”

Creative Scene producer Vicky Holliday and colleagues co-ordinated the process through the Artist@Work scheme, which aims to bring creativity to the workplace.

The mosaics represent Batley’s past, present and future. They feature the town hall, main roads leading into Batley, Remembrance poppies and the Branch Road cafe itself – and some of the food they sell.

Mayor Ken Smith said: “It gets communities involved and talking to each other. Batley is a town full of character and this commemorates it.”