‘Portrait of the community’ will brighten up The Hub on Rye Hill building site

Primary school children and their families are helping brighten up the building site hoarding around Rye Hill’s new commmunity hub with colourful portraits.
By Isabella Cipirska
Published 16th May 2019, 14:07 BST
Participants at the portrait workshopParticipants at the portrait workshop
Participants at the portrait workshop

A total of 12 children from five primary schools came along to a workshop at Rye Primary School on Saturday, where local artist Stephanie Fawbert taught them how to draw and paint with watercolours.

A spokesman for the hospital, which organised the event, said the workshop was a ‘huge success’ with everyone agreeing that it was ‘a fabulous way’ to

spend an afternoon.

Participants at the portrait workshopParticipants at the portrait workshop
Participants at the portrait workshop
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The finished portraits will be printed double the size to 1.2m by 1.6m, and pasted as a frieze on the hoarding around the construction site in an effort to make it ‘more exciting and colourful’.

A second workship will be held this Saturday and it is hoped that more than 40 portraits will be created in total.

A spokesman said: “It will be a portrait of the community painted by the community for everyone to enjoy.”

When complete in December this year, The Hub on Rye Hill will be new community wellbeing centre offering out-of-hospital therapies with bathing facilities and classes such as Pilates and Yoga.

Amy and Lottie Maynard with their workAmy and Lottie Maynard with their work
Amy and Lottie Maynard with their work

It will be open to people of all ages.

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A spokesman said: “You will be able to come along, enjoy a class, book an activity, have some physio, or just meet some friends, have a coffee, enjoy the space, the view and the wonderful garden that will be created.”

Work started in December last year on the hub, which is being built on the site of the former ambulance station by the Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital.

A contemporary building with a bright, airy space and large windows has been designed by Dunn Architects.

Jill Casey and Kitty Nunn with their artJill Casey and Kitty Nunn with their art
Jill Casey and Kitty Nunn with their art

A crowdfunding page has been set up to help raise the final £50,000 which is still needed for the scheme.

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People are being encouraged to get involved by buying a brick for £5 - find out more and donate here. A summer fete will also be held on Saturday, June 22, from 1pm until 4pm at the site in support of the hub.

The Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital, a registered charity, owns the eight acre site at the top of the hill on which the hub is being built.

The site is currently home to three buildings – the hospital at Rye, St Bartholomew’s court and the Rye Medical Centre.

The Sinclair family with their portraitsThe Sinclair family with their portraits
The Sinclair family with their portraits

Work on another new development, a 60-bed expansion of the Memorial Care Centre , is also underway at the site from developers Greensleeves Homes Trust.

Approval for the scheme was granted in April 2018. It is due for completion in 2020.

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Related topics:Primary schoolWork