WINCHESTER residents will soon take a trip down memory lane with a community arts project set to liven up a building site.

A Postcard for Stanmore aims to collate memories and photographs from the estate and create 20 panels which will decorate the hoardings of the New Queen’s Head development, in Stanmore Lane.

Winchester City Council has commissioned French artist Laurence Dube-Rushby to oversee the project, who says so far the response has been positive.

“It’s really interesting,” she said. “The idea is that I am really connecting with people and their stories. I’m interested in the more personal stories of the people and the estate because I really believe that the people make the history. A lot of shops are helping us by putting posters up. The response has been very positive and people are interested.”

So far Ms Dube-Rushby has worked with Stanmore Primary School to look through archives, youth and church groups, scouts and sheltered accommodation.

“My biggest challenge is talking to individuals. That’s why I will be walking around the estate in the summer. I will have postcards inviting people to stick on a photo and write a memory, which they can post back to me.”

There will be five post-boxes in total, but their locations are yet to be confirmed.

A base has been set up in the shop at Stanmore Community Library. Ms Dube-Rushby will be there on Tuesdays between 10am and 6pm until August 12.

The designs will be completed by the end of August, and Cllr Ian Tait, Portfolio Holder for Housing Services, said it is just what the area needs.

“It has been said, even in recent days, that Stanmore lacks the cultural assets enjoyed by other communities in Winchester,” he said.

“I think it’s probably more a case of Stanmore’s culture being hidden from view for much of the time. Well, now we have an opportunity to put Stanmore’s history and heritage on display proudly along 20 large hoardings. I hope everyone will stop and look, and learn something about this part of Winchester that people are very proud to call their neighbourhood.”

There will be a stall at Party in the Park on July 26 to promote the project.

For more information go online apostcardforstanmore.weebly.com, or call Ms Dube-Rushby on 07500 220673.