SCRP were approached by the director for the “A Town Explores a Book” project.
Every year in St Leonards the group adopts a books and undertakes Art projects and educational readings to the local schools and community. Reaching over 2000 young people. This year the book was “The Railway Children”.
The aim was to bring the benefits of reading to young children as well as leave a permanent reminder of the town’s railway heritage in particular the Navvy workforce who build the infrastructure and tunnels which are so prominent in the area.
We came together to work out how the art installations could be a permanent and poignant reminder of the towns history. The funding applications were done by the SCRP to the Heritage Lottery and Chalk Cliffs Trust and both were successful.
The art was installed in various places on the station itself as well on railings and storage rooms along the platform.
The opening event included the closure of the Kings Road in St Leonards and a street party for the whole community, led by the project team but supported by local groups and traders.
The street party took place over the Easter Saturday, there was “railway” theme which saw a dog show, a cardboard walking train, street performers and the local traders all decorated the shop windows and moved trade out onto the street.
There now is a permanent installation at the station of 14 printed aluminium panels celebrating and remembering the history of the railways in the town.
"It's great to see a dark corner of the platform filled with interest”
"A fantastic real community event"
"Lovely to see the history of the navvies recognised"