Scrap Leaflets Provide Stunning Artwork for Passengers Using Virgin Trains' First Class Lounge at Manchester Piccadilly

MANCHESTER, England, April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of out of date timetables and ticket wallets have been turned into stunning artwork creations, which have gone on display in Virgin Trains' First Class Lounge at Manchester Piccadilly station.

The stunning creations have been made by acclaimed Manchester artist Adnan Bayyat. The scrap material has been sculptured into flower arrangements and swans. The artwork is part of a joint initiative between Virgin Trains and Adnan to encourage the sustainable use of waste materials in a creative way and ties in with his 'The Solution to Pollution' initiative.

Virgin Trains' Station Manager for Manchester Karen Grimshaw said: "Adnan's work is widely acclaimed and we are delighted that he had produced a range of stunning creations for all of our passengers using the First Class Lounge to enjoy. The Lounge provides an ideal venue for Adnan to showcase his work and promotes a strong environmental message."

Adnan has also taken a couple of old and worn-out Virgin Trains uniforms and turned them into a wedding dress, to show that it is possible to recycle almost anything.

Adnan Bayyat said: "Many thousands of tonnes of printed materials end up in landfill every year, but that doesn't have to be the case. Environmental initiatives are high on the agenda at Virgin Trains and I have been able to show them what can be done with old leaflets. The Virgin wedding dress, from old uniform items, was also an appropriate item for me to create in Royal Wedding year."

Images available:

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A passenger admires that flower arrangement in the Virgin' Trains First Class Lounge at Manchester.

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Adnan Bayyat with a display of his material in the Virgin Trains' First Class Lounge at Manchester Piccadilly station. Everything is made out of surplus leaflets, timetables and ticket wallets.

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Virgin Trains Customer Service Assistant Leanne Hackney models the Virgin Wedding Dress made out of old uniform items.

Notes to editors:

- Adnan Bayyat has a website at http://www.adnanbayyat.com and can be emailed at info@adnanbayyatt.com.

- Images of Virgin Trains and the company's operations are available in the Image Library on our online Media Room website http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

- You can subscribe to receive alerts to new press releases by visiting http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/

- Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group. We have operated the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the current franchise runs to March 2012.

- Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach.

- Virgin Trains has been recognised in numerous industry awards. In 2010 the company has been named Best Rail Operator of the Year at the Travel Globe Awards (voted for by readers of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard), and Best Rail Operator in the Group Leisure Awards (which we also won in 2009).. In 2009 we were also voted Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine for the second year running. Virgin Trains first achieved Investors In People accreditation in 2007and this was renewed in 2010; the IIP Gold award was achieved in 2011.

Pictures accompanying this release are available through the PA Photowire. They can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.