Slough's diversity is being represented through a new art installation promoting the dozens of languages spoken in the area.

Duke's House has been transformed in a project led by Slough Hub titled 'Viva Slough'. On Friday, May 24, the installation was officially launched with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Councillor Balwinder Dhillon.

The Project, sponsored by Queensmere Shopping Centre and The Slough Business Improvement District, hopes to rewrite the narrative surrounding Slough, replacing outdated stereotypes with positivity that captivates and uplifts the residents and visitors of Slough.

It is believed that there are 150 languages spoken in Slough and the installation captures individuals representing 44 of the languages or dialects spoken within the Community.

Founder and Director of The Slough Hub of Vineet Vijh hopes to change perceptions about Slough through the project.

"Viva Slough aims to be a repository of everything positive about our town," he said.

Volunteers, trained in Smartphone photography by Mike Swift, a professional street and portrait photographer and photojournalist, searched the streets, seeking out the faces and stories that represent the essence of Slough.

It was a project Mike had hoped to undertake for years and says Viva Slough is "the best project" he has ever done in his 40 years of photography.

From start to finish the project has taken six months.

"It has become a proper community now and we are going to do other projects together," Mike said.

"Slough is a multicultural place and of all the places I have visited like it, this one is the best.

"The people of Slough are what make it Slough, the rest is all concrete and wires and roads."

Each photograph is accompanied by a personal story, offering insights into why each individual chose to call Slough home and what they cherish most about the town and its Community.

Zhora Jefferies, leader of Cippenham Carers Group, has her photo on the mural and has lived in Slough for about 25 years. She said: "I was excited to be involved. We also have two of our care group up there. I am very proud.

"This shows people coming to Slough that we are a diverse town."

Tirza Meinema, also featured in the installation, said: "It is so beautiful. It really shows the diversity we have in Slough and how easily we can all come together and connect with each other over a word like 'welcome'. We want people to feel welcome."

Another group wrote the stories of Volunteers under the guidance and direction of Claire Giacobbe, a passionate campaigner of positivity and change in the Community.

Claire said: "I am incredibly proud to be a part of this. It has been an amazing journey.

"It is such an exciting project and to actually encourage the positivity and start dampening the bad perceptions that Slough has - just by educating people on what this project is about I've seen people turn around and recognise the number of languages.

"The people are the best thing about Slough. The people and the community spirit is so electric."

Commenting on the initiative, Clarissa Parker from The Slough BID said: "This is just the beginning of a series of projects aimed at transforming our high street into a vibrant, thriving hub.

"It is a beautiful statement of how we can come together as a community."