On Sat 9th September 2023, we enjoyed a walk along the East Suffolk coastline Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, led by Ruel Fox (former Norwich City, Tottenham) and artist, Anna Ilsley, who led a variety of creative activities.
We explored the trails from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness, stopping off at the North Marsh Nature Reserve on the way, and taking the chance to admire and sketch Maggi Hambling’s, ‘Scallop’ sculpture, on Aldeburgh beach.
The group explored their creativity making tonal drawings with crayons, as well as colourful paintings using blackberry juice. We also collected beautiful leaves along the way and used them to make wonderful paintings on paper.
We facilitated a group of asylum-seeking families who are currently living in a hotel in Ipswich, who found the East Suffolk coastline, and the creative activities refreshing and enriching. Our group said that they found it very therapeutic and enjoyed how it “brought out [their] creative side.”
Experiences like these are important in providing equity of access to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in East Suffolk. By providing free train tickets and travel, people were enabled to engage in fun creative activities, in a place they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to access.
This project has been funded by the Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Amenity and Accessibility Fund, Greater Anglia, and Postcode Places Trust. Thank you to Greater Anglia and the East Suffolk Community Rail Partnership for providing free group train travel.