Colchester students' artwork displayed at rail stations

Published on: Monday, 8 February 2016
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016

Students at a Colchester café have helped to brighten up local rail stations bycreating artwork for a competition.

Budding artists from Level Best Café inColchester have produced 14 colourful paintings which are now taking pride ofplace at rail stations on the Sunshine Coast Line, which runs betweenColchester and Clacton-on-Sea.

The competition challenges people to visitfive of the 12 stations, find the animal hidden in the artwork and take aphoto. Entrants will then need to answer one question about local heritage andcomplete a rail safety slogan. Five winners will each receive £100 worth ofhigh-street vouchers.

The students, who have learningdifficulties or disabilities, spent three months creating the work.

Jayne Sumner, Rail Engagement Manager atEssex County Council, said: “We are thrilled with the work with the students –this has been a very rewarding project. I would like to thank them for all oftheir hard work, and extend my thanks to Jane at the cafe, who has beeninstrumental in delivering this project.”

Jane Ostler from the Level Best Café, said:“This project ticked all the boxes for us – it had a clear brief with adeadline and was highly visual and veering towards the fun and positive side oflife. We have all been very happy to have been working with the Rail EngagementOffice of South Suffolk and North Essex. What was particularly satisfying wasthe thought that we would be able to see the work at local places, and toconsider the different stops along the line.”

The competition runs until 22 February andcompetition entry forms can be collected from branch line stations along theSunshine Coast line, or online at http://bit.ly/1P3znBk