Choose Suffolk and Suffolk County Council are calling on people living or visiting Suffolk to get out and about with their cameras and camcorders to capture and celebrate the county’s most characteristic people and places as part of a new London 2012 Inspired project called Suffolk ICONS. The project’s dedicated website - www.suffolkicons.com - allows participants to register and upload photography and film that showcases what they believe are the county’s most iconic and celebrated aspects.

The Suffolk ICONS project aims to engage with local residents and visitors to the county by asking them to highlight those elements of their daily lives that encapsulate Suffolk’s individuality and distinct character. The website acts as a unique user-generated gallery that will continue to grow as more images and film footage are added, creating an online celebration of Suffolk’s people, places, sights and scenes.

Celia Hodson, Chief Executive, Choose Suffolk, said, “We are very fortunate in Suffolk to live in a county that has some really beautiful coast and countryside, towns, buildings and really interesting people. We want everyone to get out and about with their cameras and camcorders to try to capture what they see as the very essence of Suffolk.”

The Suffolk ICONS project has been inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has received a London 2012 Inspire Mark recognising it as 'an outstanding project helping to deliver the Games’ lasting legacy’.

While the county has some evident and well-established iconic places, such as the breath-taking scenery of Constable Country in the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Newmarket, the international home of horseracing and the graceful span of the Orwell Bridge, the project also aims to capture those places and people that have a more elusive quality, but still stand as authentic symbols of Suffolk.

Councillor Rosemary Clarke, Suffolk County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Sport, Culture, Diversity, Health and Wellbeing, said, “I count myself incredibly lucky to live in this wonderful part of the country and Suffolk Icons is the perfect opportunity for us all to celebrate what makes this such a special place to live and work. The view of Iken Church over the River Alde is my Suffolk Icon. It combines both the quiet and timeless beauty of our countryside, together with the rich and unique history associated with our historic buildings. I hope everyone gets involved in this project by contributing their Icons and helping us to create a permanent legacy for all.”

The Suffolk ICONS website allows those who are uploading an image or film footage to leave some notes explaining why they believe their selection is a worthy Suffolk icon. The site allows visitors to critique or support any submissions by adding a star rating, helping to create a regular Top 10 ICONS every quarter.

The project also includes ideas to encourage school children to get involved through the creation of their own Suffolk ICONS assignments, which can fit into many different areas of learning within the National Curriculum. There is a section of the website which provides guidance for school teachers and youth group leaders on how to deliver Suffolk ICONS as an assignment. Pupils will take photographs and conduct research about their proposed ICON and present their submission to their classroom colleagues.

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