Latest news with #Framlingham
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Mystery Suffolk artist back with new Framlingham Library showcase
A mystery artist whose identity has remained unknown for a number of years is back with a new special artist, known only as 'The Hat', gained notoriety during the Covid-19 pandemic when various coronavirus-inspired works were left at locations across elusive artist previously described themselves as a 62-year-old man with a "love and talent for art" on their Library has now launched an exhibition of The Hat's artwork, but manager Vivica Bamford said she still did not know The Hat's identity. Ms Bamford said the library had been receiving works from The Hat "for quite a while"."We had those over a period of time and we've auctioned them either to raise money for our individual library or for Suffolk Libraries, the charity," she explained."After we sold the last one, we suddenly had an email saying, would we take 30 pictures?"A bit later came the message that it might be slightly more than 30, 'do you think you could still fit them in?'" The library launched an exhibition with 40 of The Hat's pieces on 1 July."We are so thrilled because what we've got here is not just recent work that has been done specifically with this exhibition in mind, we've got some works that go further back," Ms Bamford continued."It's always interesting to look at the dates, the timings, the subject matters, the titles and imagine what might have been going on in The Hat's life at that time." The exhibition runs until 9 August in the library's Courthouse Gallery and includes a new painting featuring four hedgehogs that has been donated to the library will sell the painting to raise money for future well as this, the library will receive 35% of the sales of the other paintings. Ms Bamford stressed she did not know the identity of The Hat."I've not met The Hat... I converse with an Instagram account and an email account, both are in the name of 'Who Is The Hat'," she 2020, many people debated whether The Hat was actually local superstar Ed Sheeran due to similarities in style with the singer's own artwork. However, no confirmation of this has ever been announced by either. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Sun
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside Ed Sheeran's epic homecoming gigs with hit-packed set & fireworks as he reveals plan for huge blow out after tour
I'M deep in the bowels of Portman Road stadium playing keepy-uppy when I clock someone walking into the room. The corridors were already abuzz with tour managers and crew, so if it wasn't for the repeated hugs a very familiar flame-haired man was getting, I wouldn't have noticed him. 9 9 9 With zero fanfare, one of the most successful British artists of all time walks over to me, hand outstretched. 'I'm Ed,' he smiles — as if Ed Sheeran needs any introduction. Despite never losing eye contact as we chat, in his hands he's signing a stack of Polaroid pictures — shuffling on to the next one like a world-class magician. 'I have thousands of these to do, I do them everywhere,' he laughs. The Polaroids will eventually make their way into special limited-edition copies of his upcoming eighth album Play. It's been three years since Ed last did shows in the UK and this weekend feels special. We meet on Friday evening before the first of his three sell-out homecoming gigs at his beloved Ipswich Town 's ground. By today, Ed will have played to 90,000 fans. After I tell him I can't believe he's not exhausted from touring the globe non- stop for four years, Ed nods: 'I'm knackered. 'The tour ends in September. I'm going to have a big party to celebrate the end of the tour. It's been four years.' At least for this weekend Ed got to wake up in his own bed in his ' Sheeranville ' estate near the picture-perfect town of Framlingham, which is just over 30 minutes away. Ed Sheeran teams up with school pals AND 00s rock legend for epic performance 'All three nights I'm at home — even Sunday,' Ed says, clearly relieved to be back for a burst of normality. But a boozy Sunday was off the cards after he took his final bow last night. Ed tells me: 'When I did Wembley in 2022, we went out the night before. 'But now I can't, I have kids. We are up at 6am no matter where I am. After I'm politely asked if we are ready for our photograph — Ed isn't officially doing interviews — The A Team singer interjects, keen to talk about me and where I'm from. Explaining I'm from a little village in Derbyshire where even if Beyonce were to rock up no one would recognise her, Ed admits it reminds him of his own home town. A lifelong Ipswich fan, Ed asks if I support Derby County. Unable to bluff my way through, I admit football isn't really my bag. Instead I find common ground by telling him we were both in Germany last week, him on his mammoth Mathematics world tour and me for Cologne Pride. He asks how it was and after telling him about my three days of non-stop partying, I get back to business. 9 9 It's hard to play down the significance of the gigs for both Ed and Ipswich. Fans have flown in from all over the world and have been camping outside the stadium since 4am in baking heat. While the local Burger King is offering an Ed combo special for £10.99. By the time he takes to the stage at 8.15pm, the atmosphere is electric. Ed kicks things off with new track Sapphire followed by 2021 No1 Shivers and his 2011 track The A Team. Within the first 15 minutes, multiple pyrotechnics and fireworks pop off around us. Beaming, Ed tells the crowd: 'It's good to be back. "I have been looking forward to this so, so much. 'I haven't played a big, big show in the UK since 2022 when we did the Wembley shows. 'That was a conversation actually, last year — should we come back and do a run of Wembley shows, and I was like, 'It just doesn't seem special'. 'I want it to be special, and Ipswich is special. 'SPECIAL WEEKEND' 'All the times I've come to this stadium and imagined playing it. 'It looks amazing.' Ed continues: 'Over the last 15 years I've only really played one other big show in Ipswich. 'We played a park to signal the end of Divide and it's really cool to play here and signal the beginning of Play. 'Everything you hear tonight is live. 'There is no backing track whatsoever — it's all made by me.' As I join the thousands watching Ed, it's impossible not to be in awe of both his ability to deliver a five-star performance with just his guitar and a loop pedal — and the sheer volume of hits he has in his back catalogue. Opening up about winning two lawsuits against him which falsely accused him of stealing the music to Thinking Out Loud and Shape Of You, Ed explains: 'I love writing songs. 'Writing songs is not only my hobby, it's my life. 'All I want to do is write songs and play shows. 'These became such big news stories. 'And the reason is that it's kind of an open secret in the music industry that this happens behind the scenes. 'Both of those cases came to me a year before and said we are going to make this really public and say you stole this song unless you give us some money. 'But I was like, 'I haven't done anything wrong'. 'Both times the reason it went so big was because I said 'no' — but reputationally for a few years people thought I was a thief.' On Friday night Ed surprised fans by bringing out Westlife for a rendition of their 1999 classic Flying Without Wings. Ed may have 43 Top 10 singles, including 14 No1s, and sold more than 200million records worldwide, but he hasn't lost touch with where he's from. He continues: 'I never underestimate the amount of effort it takes to get to a gig. 'Some people fly here, they get trains. 9 9 'People taking time out of their daily schedule. 'They get babysitters. 'Even just the act of getting tickets in the first place. 'It's effort to come to one of these shows and I am so grateful. 'It's such a special weekend for me to be with my family and friends and I'm so grateful we could share it together. 'Thank you for making so much effort.' I think the thanks are to you Ed, for the music which has soundtracked our lives for the past 15 years. Oh, and if you see my cap, I accidentally left it in your dressing room. Consider it yours. CHART CHAMP'S £10M BONUS ED'S homecoming weekend could boost the local economy by around £10million – thanks to fans splashing the cash on hotels, meals out and drinks. Tickets for all three shows sold out within an hour earlier this year. 9 A boat in the marina was emblazoned with a 'Welcome home Ed' banner and Ipswich town centre was packed all day – with guitar shop owner John Fender, who previously served Ed in his store, telling the BBC his shop has never been busier. John said: 'He used to come in and buy music books when he was growing up, then in October 2022 he popped in and bought a guitar and amp from us before his surprise gig in the Cornhill. 'Everyone's buzzing. 'We've had some people in today from Germany, from America. 'People are travelling from all around to Ipswich. 'I think it's brilliant for the town and the area.' HE'S FLYING HIGH ED'S fans got a special treat after he was joined on stage by Westlife, left, to kick off his three-night run. Revealing why he invited the lads over from Ireland, he said via Instagram: 'The reason I wrote Shape Of You was that I wanted to go in the studio with one of the men that was behind Flying Without Wings – producer Steve Mac. 9 "It's one of my favourite songs of all time. 'I used to pretend I was in Westlife when I was, like, nine years old. 'But tonight I got to actually be a member, playing with Steve and Beoga on stage for the homecoming shows at Ipswich Town. 'Just pure magic. 'Thank you for flying over, lads. 'I will never forget that moment x.'
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Mystery ‘Suffolk Banksy' artist known as ‘The Hat' who leaves pictures outside cafes and pubs ‘identified by fans'
FANS reckon an artist dubbed the Suffolk Banksy is singer Ed Sheeran. Mystery dauber 'The Hat' has left pictures outside cafes, pubs and charity shops. 2 2 Finders are urged to auction them for charity — and so far thousands of pounds has been raised. The Hat also sells abstract paintings online for as much as £1,900. Now tiny Framlingham Library — in the market town near where Ed lives with wife Cherry and their kids — is exhibiting more work. One post on the Visit Framlingham Facebook page reads: 'Hmmm, wonder who it could be?' A painting on show of three hedgehogs will be sold to raise cash for the library. Library manager Vivia Bamford said: 'We're absolutely delighted to be hosting this exhibition. It's all ready to go and the artwork looks wonderful in our gallery space. 'It's really worth a visit so I hope to welcome hundreds of people in the coming weeks. 'I'm so grateful to The Hat – whoever they are – for choosing us as location to display their work and for donating a painting and a percentage of sales to support our library.' Meanwhile, Shape of You hitmaker Ed, 34, yesterday launched an art show under his own name at Heni Gallery in London's Soho. 'I'm so grateful to The Hat – whoever they are – for choosing us as location to display their work and for donating a painting and a percentage of sales to support our library.' Moment mystery man is caught painting Banksy-like mural hours before real artist completed his trail The Shape of You hitmaker is already an established artist and yesterday launched another gallery of work under his own name at London's Heni Gallery. That collection will raise money for the Ed Sheeran Foundation – which funds music lessons for kids. Kindly Ed is known for making donations to charity shops and one woman once snapped up a pair of his boxers for £10.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ed Sheeran donates boxers and bathmat ahead of Portman Road gigs
Musician Ed Sheeran has donated items including Ipswich Town merchandise, boxer shorts and a bathmat to a charity ahead of a series of homecoming gigs. The 361 items were donated to East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) in Framlingham, Suffolk - Sheeran is one of its grown up in the county, the superstar is set to play three gigs at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich on 11, 12 and 13 July. Scott Campbell, EACH e-commerce manager, said: "With Ed-mania sweeping through Suffolk, this is a perfect opportunity to maximise funds and raise as much as possible for our charity, while also getting in the spirit and having fun at the same time." From 6 July, fans of the musician will have the opportunity to buy items he has donated - including vests, jeans, scarves, a bed set, bowtie and earphones - from the charity's online eBay page. In the charity's shop in Framlingham, items including shoelaces, mugs, cushions and a hot water bottle cover will be available to purchase. The goods were delivered by a member of Sheeran's team. Mr Campbell says it is going to be "fascinating" to see how much the items sell for. "Once again, Ed has come up trumps with an incredible, eye-catching assortment of clothing and items - from boxer shorts and bongo drums to jeans and jewellery."Hopefully the momentum, interest and bidding will rumble on throughout the summer - with every pound raised making a difference and helping us continue our vital work supporting families and caring for children across East Anglia." Sheeran has previously donated items to the charity, including in 2022 when he donated 450 items which raised £30,000. When he became an ambassador for the charity in 2014, he raised £7,500 after donating 21 items including a camouflage hoodie and pair of Adidas trainers. Genie Woodcock, retail central support manager, said: "What better time or place to snap us one of Ed's donations than in his hometown of Framlingham."We're seizing the moment, and [are] excited to see what happens when these items go on sale." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Three-legged dog is posthumous Make A Difference Awards finalist
A therapy dog, who was a regular at a local library before passing away recently, is a finalist in the BBC Radio Suffolk Make a Difference the three-legged greyhound, worked as a therapy dog in Framlingham library where he was described as "a beacon of comfort and support" to young Peter Willis said: "He had the best, most fulfilling life a dog could have and made a difference to the lives of many children along the way."Charlie was selected by judges as one of four finalists for the Animal Award, along with Peter Merchant, who helps rehabilitate birds of prey, the online community group Finding Dogs in Ipswich and Gill Lewis who helps rehome unwanted pets. The Make a Difference Awards are run by BBC Local radio stations and started in Hill, who is visually impaired, volunteers for groups and mentors people. "The world needs more people like Grace," said her nomination for the Volunteer Arron and Chris Bailey are also finalists, having taken Santa out to visit children at their homes who were unable to go and see him elsewhere. They also make hampers for nurses and gifts for new mothers still in hospital at Tieck, who runs This is Ipswich social media accounts, was nominated for amplifying stories about metal health, food banks and community nomination said that "to know Sarah is to have someone believe in you, this is the energy that will save the world".Max Thomas, from the Ipswich Windrush Society, founded the reflection room in the Sailmakers shopping centre which is open all year. COMMUNITY AWARD: The Caribbean & African Community Health Support Forum, Future Female Society, Suffolk Refugee Support Sewing Group and Memory Lane Café.FUNDRAISER AWARD: Project 7, Pop Chorus, Maria Layton and John AWARD: Jackie Orbell, Deben Climate Centre, Edible Felixstowe and Saxmundham Community AWARD: Harrison Mayhew-Kemp, Mike McCarthy, Edgar Miller and Trudy NEIGHBOUR AWARD: Doreen Savage, Wendy Aiken, Joanne Stuckey and Rosemary HERO: Ozzy Rayner and Georgia Biggs. Interviews with each finalist will be broadcast on BBC Radio Suffolk over the summer, with the winners announced at a ceremony at Trinity Park on 17 September. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
