Inspiring city figures feature on mural

An 11-year-old who sells scrap metal to buy items for food banks and a football coach have been celebrated on a mural.

Ryan, from Solihull, and Asha Rage, from Birmingham are two of the people featured in the artwork on display at the city's airport.

The large mural was created by local graffiti artist Gent 48 and also includes depictions of Ozzy Osbourne and late writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah.

It is set to remain on display at the airport terminal until next week, before it is donated to a local community group.

Ryan, who started his philanthropic project WeCan in November 2022, said he "couldn't believe it" when easyJet contacted his parents to tell them he was going to be included on the mural.

"I was just astounded and pleasantly surprised and shocked at the same time," he said.

He told BBC Radio WM his goal was to "inspire other people to make the world a better place."

“I just want to give people what they deserve, because nobody in this world deserves to be homeless or deserves to not have the right to food," he said.

Football coach Ms Rage is featured for her work helping to keep young people in the city away from gang violence.

She said she was contacted by an Easyjet representative on LinkedIn who had asked her if she wanted to be included in the mural.

Ms Rage who set up Dream Chasers FC in Small Heath in 2016, said her aim was to find a "safe space" for young people in a city to escape gangs and violence.

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