ARTISTS with an affinity with nature are being encouraged to apply to become an artist in residence at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

The post, which is for nine months, is set in the Women and Children's Unit at the hospital.

It follows a creative history in the unit which has already seen Peppa Pig, Thomas the Tank and Hello Kitty stickers replaced with colourful imagery drawn directly from the woodland surrounding the hospital.

The new commission will also be based on a number of key words, such as environment, organic transformation, social togetherness, sensitivity and long-term engagement, and colour schemes in the areas are pastel tones of blue, green and lavender.

Gillian Morton, NHS Forth Valley director for women and children's services, said: "We are really excited by the scope of this project.

"We have identified several spaces where we hope to see colour and creativity, including the corridor outside maternity ultrasound, the waiting area next to the labour ward and the waiting area at reception in the main Women and Children's building which is separate from the main hospital.

"The designs in our children's ward, which cover walls and doorways have gone down a storm. We've seen kids run out of the lift and say 'wow, we want that in our bedroom'.

"To see a reaction like this is great and we just want to make the Unit a better place to get well in so this is the thinking behind the latest step in our creative journey."

The deadline for applications is Monday, May 31 and the selected artist will begin on July 5.

Contact NHS Art Coordinators Kevin Harrison or Silvia Sinibaldi at Artlink Central by emailing info@artlinkcentral.org or visit tinyurl.com/48uump2f for more information.