What a Hoot: Ipswich sculpture trail for 2022 unveiled

It has been revealed that 40 colourfully decorated owls will make up Ipswich's next sculpture trail, in the summer of 2022.

St Elizabeth Hospice unveiled the base design for the owls on Thursday, 6 May, along with the very first decorated sculpture.

The trail will be the third held in the town, following on from pig sculptures in 2016 and Elmer the elephants in 2019.

The sculptures will be dotted around Ipswich, with residents and visitors encouraged to track them all down during the four-months they will be on display.

After that the sculptures, each of them individually decorated with themes relating to Ipswich and Suffolk, will be auctioned off to raise money for St Elizabeth Hospice.

Terry Hunt, a trustee at the hospice said: "We are so pleased to reveal the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022 and hope the whole community is as excited as us with the sculptures."

"The inspiration came about as the hospice team felt the popular view of owls being knowledgeable and wise creatures linked to the support St Elizabeth Hospice has provided patients and families since 1989, whilst taking them under the wing of its care."

The Elmer trail raised over £260,000 for the hospice, while the pigs in 2016 are estimated to have boosted Ipswich's economy by £1 million.

The first owl to be designed has been called A Hoot to Suffolk, and features landmarks from across the county.

It was designed by Suffolk artist Angie Ashford, who said it was a "real privilege" to take part.

She added: "I was keen for my design to focus on Suffolk, especially after the difficult year Covid-19 has brought, it was important to celebrate the positives around us."

The trail has been produced by Wild in Art, who specialise in similar events in cities and towns across the UK, such as this summer's 'Cows about Cambridge'.