Swans Journey In Sunderland

When driving or walking by the River Wear in Sunderland near the Wearmouth Bridge on the south side, you will notice a delightful mural of several swans against a seascape. It is on the Salvation Army building, Swan Lodge, known as a lifehouse.

The artist is Frank Styles, and he has several stunning murals in the area. This was created in 2022, and the swan at the bottom was inspired by a heart-warming story of a sick swan being saved in New York by a young lady, Ariel Cordova Rojas, who cancelled some of her 30th birthday celebrations to take the ill swan on the New York (USA) subway (we call it a train in Blighty). Ariel had expected it to be very defensive and try to bite her, but this pen did not. Wrapped in Miss Cordova Rojas' jacket, the female swan was taken to a rescue centre where she was treated for lead poisoning, fungal infection,and weakness in her legs. Ariel named her Bae.

As you look up at the wall, the next swan has the classic S-bend on its neck and is getting ready to take off. There is a lovely chiaroscuro effect that Frank has created on this beauty.

These are mute swans. The male cob has a larger bump on the top of the beak, while the female, called a pen, has no pronounced bump. They are not silent, just quieter than their cousins, the Whooper and the Berwick. Mutes are the biggest of the UK's swans and can weigh around 25 lbs, which is around the weight of an average 2-year-old tot.

The setting on the big wall is a seascape, as mute swans reside by the sea or in freshwater habitats. They are known for their graceful flight with slow wingbeats and their necks outstretched, perfectly captured here.

The top swan seems to be flying into the sunse and all is golden. These depictions can be metaphors for some and the Salvation Army helps a lot of people on this journey.

Pop inside and there is another mural in the foyer which references William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. This mural has a depiction of Roker Lighthouse, and again some majestic swans.

My thanks to Fabulous Norther Lorraine London for supplying these super photographs.