Ipswich schools are offered a unique opportunity to contribute to a new Augmented Reality (AR) Walking Trail that will take over the town this summer.
Local children can look forward to seeing their original artwork come to life in DiGBY and Beattie's Adventure, an interactive and fun virtual experience starting in July.
This free AR self-guided tour will feature interactive stops around Ipswich town centre, each with seven magical themes and characters unique to Ipswich, including DiGBY the Octopus, Rosie the Rhino, and Cardinal Wolsey's Cat. At each stop, children will be able to interact with the characters and learn about the themes.
Players use their smartphones to navigate a set route that combines the real world with computer-generated content, in a mix of learning and fun, games and storytelling.
In the lead-up to the launch next month, children from all the primary schools can draw their favourite Ipswich character and see their artwork hung on digital art walls around the town.
They can choose Beattie the Hedgehog, who will inspire everyone to stay active; DiGBY the Octopus, who loves recycling; or Mabel the Owl, who wants to protect our natural environment. The Golden Lion symbolises the future of Ipswich. At the same time, Rosie the Rhino represents favourite activities and attractions in town. Wolsey's Cat is bringing the history of Ipswich to life, and Sammy, the Sea Squirt, focuses on promoting movement. Each character has a different message and theme for children to discover, making the AR experience both educational and entertaining.
To encourage schools to get involved between now and mid-July, they have received an Activity Pack. This pack includes detailed information about the project, step-by-step instructions on how to participate, and a template for the drawings. A new website, Digby & Beatties Adventure Trail – Explore Seven Magical AR Adventures (digbyandbeattie.co.uk), is previewing the AR Adventure Trail with information, imagery and video to inspire young artists. The website also allows teachers to register to enter and then access their dashboard, where they can upload artwork by children in their classes.
Debbie McLatch, Assistant Director – Place at Ipswich Borough Council, says:
"We're delighted that our previous AR trails have proved so popular with people of all ages in Ipswich, and visitors.
“In the summer months, this exciting new virtual trail around the town centre will bring many characters to life, including Ipswich's favourite sea creature, DiGBY, and my personal favourite Beat the Street's Beattie. It will be an interactive digital adventure that celebrates a historic past, vibrant present, and promising future while getting our 'adventurers' moving and exploring old and new areas of town.
“I thank everyone we've partnered with to create the narrative and content for this unique experience, including students at the University of Suffolk, Suffolk Mind, Ipswich Library, and Ipswich Tourist Guides. We look forward to seeing what our young and talented local artists can add to the Adventure!"
Primary schools will have the first chance to enjoy the new AR trail between 15 and 19 July. This exclusive access is a special privilege for the schools that participated in creating the artwork. The trail will then be open to the public on Saturday, 20 July, marking the official start of the summer AR experience in Ipswich.
This is the second AR experience created by Digital Ipswich, a Towns Fund project from Ipswich Borough Council. Following a public consultation in December 2023 where the public was encouraged to share ideas, themes and suggestions for future trails, we’re pleased to confirm that more fun, exciting and inclusive trails will be launched later this year and in 2025.
DiGBY and Beattie's Adventure AR trail is a legacy of the hugely successful Borough-wide initiative that ran during March and April in partnership with Beat the Street, Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council, 43 local primary schools, and nearly 11,000 players who covered over 68,000 miles and tapped the beat boxes across Ipswich 233,233 times.
