Russell Brand made an appearance at two community events in Hackney within the space of three days last week.

He unveiled an extraordinary mosaic in Hackney Downs on Thursday afternoon before joining residents of the New Era Estate in Hoxton for a protest against rent rises.

The artwork covering the walls of the old shelter in the children’s playground was made by a team of dedicated volunteers, some of whom are recovering addicts, who have been placing thousands of tiny mosaic tiles for nine months.

Mr Brand, a recovering addict himself who cut the ribbon at the launch, described the project as a demonstration of how shattered fragments can be transformed to create a coherent picture, and how this reflected the process of individual recovery, rebuilding lives broken by addiction and other problems.

The volunteers were taught by mosaic artist Tessa Hunkin, who is also behind award-winning mosaics in Shepherdess Walk Park and in Pitfield Street.

Hackney Council has funded the project for three years.