Ipswich youngsters paint bollards in St Peter’s Street as part of Wolsey 500 project

The first phase of a project to improve the area between Ipswich waterfront and the town centre has concluded.

Over the past two months, eight young artists have been working on designs to brighten up six bollards around the statue of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, in St Peter’s Street.

Work to paint them began last Wednesday and ended yesterday.

This forms part of a wider scheme to improve the area between the waterfront and Lloyds Avenue, which in itself forms part of the Thomas Wolsey 550 project, which began in March last year.

The project, started by Ipswich Central, was designed to mark 550 years since Thomas Wolsey was born, in March 1473.

Hannah Houghton, education and youth co-ordinator with the Thomas Wolsey 550 project, said the youngsters painting the bollards took inspiration from from a historical tour of the town and research into Tudor Ipswich.

They also met with experts who undertook a similar project in Winchester.

Some of them also worked on the Wolsey 550-themed mural on the former BHS in Butter Market.

Hannah added: “I’m incredibly impressed with how seriously these young volunteers have taken this opportunity. We’ve had weekly sessions at the Stoke Bridge Workshop, and they’ve grown in knowledge and confidence.

“This isn’t just an art and design project – together we’ve also learnt project management skills, how to navigate the bureaucracy of working on street furniture owned by the highways department and how to integrate design with existing branding and colour palettes.

“I hope local people will come and see the designs unfold as work carries on for the next few days.”

Other initiatives to improve the area between the town centre and waterfront, via St Peter’s Street and St Nicholas Street, are set to be unveiled in the coming years.