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Greater Anglia to sponsor new hare art trail across Suffolk

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Greater Anglia will sponsor St Elizabeth Hospice's Hop to it! Suffolk 2025 art trail, bringing decorated hare sculptures to train stations across the region.

The big picture: Two large hare sculptures will be installed at Ipswich and Lowestoft train stations, with ten smaller 'leveret' sculptures placed across stations in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Beccles and Lowestoft.

The trail was created in partnership with Wild in Art, which has helped raise over £26.5m for charitable causes through similar events.

Hare sculpture on platform by train
Hare sculpture on platform by trainSt Elizabeth Hospice

Why it matters: This marks Greater Anglia's third time supporting the hospice's art trails, following Pigs Gone Wild, Elmer's Big Parade Suffolk and the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022.

  • The initiative helps fund St Elizabeth Hospice's vital work supporting over 4,000 people with life-limiting illnesses in Ipswich, East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

  • The hospice needs to raise around £12m annually, with 70% coming from community support.

The learning programme: Through Greater Anglia's sponsorship, the trail's Hopscotch learning programme will offer ten free spots for local schools and community groups to decorate their own stargazer sculptures.

What they're saying: "We're delighted to be supporting the Hop to it! Suffolk 2025 art trail in support of St Elizabeth Hospice," said Jonathan Denby, Head of Corporate Affairs for Greater Anglia.

"With 2025's theme being hares, which has obvious connections with the Greater Anglia 'hare', familiar in our advertising, marketing and promotional activities, and the expansion of the trail to locations along the East Suffolk Lines, there's a real synergy to our partnership."

Hop to it team with Jonathan Denby outside train station
Hop to it team with Jonathan Denby outside train stationSt Elizabeth Hospice

The bottom line: For the first time, the art trail will expand beyond Ipswich to include satellite locations across Suffolk, making it more accessible to communities across the region while supporting vital hospice services.

Health Minister meets Ipswich MPs over cancelled surgery plans

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The government minister responsible for primary care has met with Ipswich's MPs to discuss the cancelled development of a 'super surgery' in north west Ipswich. Stephen Kinnock MP held talks with local representatives following the scrapping of Cardinal Medical Practice's planned development at the former Tooks Bakery site.

Why it matters: The meeting signals high-level government engagement with Ipswich's primary care challenges, particularly in the north west of the town where the cancelled development was planned.

The big picture: The development at the former Tooks Bakery site was intended to create a new 'super surgery' that would embed healthcare services within the local community, aligning with the government's long-term NHS strategy.

Jack Abbott, Patrick Spencer and Health Minister Stephen Kinnock
Jack Abbott MP and Patrick Spencer MP met with Health Minister Stephen Kinnock on Saturday 30 NovemberOffice of Jack Abbott MP

The details: Jack Abbott MP and Patrick Spencer MP met with Health Minister Stephen Kinnock on Saturday 30 November:

  • Both MPs emphasised the need for improved primary care in north west Ipswich

  • The minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to community-based healthcare

  • The project was meant to align with recommendations from the Darzi Report on NHS strategy

  • No immediate solution was proposed

What they're saying:

  • "I will continue to work with local and national politicians and our local NHS to try and find a workable solution," said Jack Abbott MP

  • Patrick Spencer MP described the cancellation as "bitterly disappointing" for both the medical practice and local residents

  • Spencer added that the promised new 'super surgery' would "deliver exactly what the Government has committed to – health services embedded in the local community"

The bottom line: While the minister has reinforced the government's commitment to community healthcare, no immediate solution has been proposed for the cancelled development. Both MPs have pledged to continue working towards a sustainable solution.

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