Ipswich Central’s Thomas Wolsey 550 secures more funding for education scheme as project draws to a close

An 18-month heritage project celebrating one of Ipswich’s most famous sons has secured more funding as it draws to a close.

The Thomas Wolsey 550 scheme, started by Ipswich Central Business Improvement District (BID), is excited to announce that its education programme has secured money from the Ipswich PDP Investment fund.

Granted by Suffolk County Council, this will allow it to continue working with schools until March 2025.

While the overarching project, including all public events, concludes tomorrow, Ipswich Central told SuffolkNews it hoped it would not be the end.

The project’s leaders are set to submit another bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a second wave of the project in the future.

Project director Kath Cockshaw said: “Wolsey started life in Ipswich, just like the children we are working with.

“He was a confident go-getter, and his astronomical career path was unprecedented. The basic premise of the first phase of the education programme was to raise children’s confidence levels at primary level through creative, interactive work led by expert practitioners at Gecko Theatre, and to broaden their horizons at secondary level by showcasing the range of jobs and careers that are out there.

“This involved taking 12–13-year-old students into workplaces for employee-led immersive workshops – before they begin to make the subject choices which will affect the course of their lives.”

The project began on March 10, 2023, and was designed to run for exactly 550 days to mark the 550th anniversary of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s birth, in Ipswich, in March 1473.

It saw a range of Wolsey-inspired events, ranging from historical talks, exhibitions, workshops, theatre performances and community projects.

This included a parade through Ipswich town centre, getting youngsters to paint bollards in St Peter’s Street, a stained glass window project, a heritage market and Christmas carol singing.

The project also supported a giant cardboard replica of Wolsey Gate, placed in the Cornhill last October.

It aimed to increase social mobility and celebrate pride in the town’s heritage and children and young people were its target demographic.

Hannah Houghton, education and opportunities lead for the Wolsey 550 project, said feedback from school and children involved in the programme was incredible.

She said they helped shape and change young lives with the work they were doing in educational settings across Ipswich.

Hannah hoped the new funding would allow them to reach every school in the borough and as many young people as possible.

“Alongside the education programme, the Wolsey 550 Community Grants Scheme was another key component of the project,” she said.

“Launched in summer 2023 the scheme enabled small Ipswich-based organisations to apply for up to £3000 to deliver a project taking place within the Borough boundary.

“The scheme received double the number of applications it could fund and the independent panel had the incredibly tough decision of whittling it down.”

Lee Walker, chief executive of the BID, said: "When a proposal to celebrate the anniversary of Wolsey's birth was first raised three years ago, I don't think anyone had an inkling of just how much of an impact that project would make over the course of its 550 days.

“Thousands of people took part in events and experienced the exhibition at The Hold, and an even greater number of school pupils have been inspired by the Cardinal's story.

“This project is just the start of an ongoing strategy we are building to celebrate the incredible heritage and culture our town has to offer."

Terry Hunt, chairman of the Wolsey 550 project, said he loved working on the project.

Mr Hunt said it had achieved so much for the town and was thrilled its education programme secured more funding.

He added: “We look forward to unveiling further plans as soon as we can. Meanwhile, the Wolsey 550 team are still working to evaluate the project and are making a film to celebrate its highlights and achievements which we look forward to sharing after the end of October.”