KCOM’s Freedom Cabs return to make a feast for the eyes

Four east Hull schools are taking part in KCOM’s “Freedom Cabs” initiative for 2017 which aims to transform eight street cabinets with art work designed by local children.

The theme for this year’s project is “grow your own” with hundreds of youngsters being asked to create artwork inspired by this year’s FEASTival – a giant food festival taking place in Queens Gardens as part of the Freedom Festival, on Sunday, 3 September.

Brendon Smurthwaite, KCOM’s community coordinator, said: “We’re delighted to be holding our Freedom Cabs project for the fourth year running. It’s a great opportunity for local school children to make some fantastic artwork and create some colourful new attractions out of the street cabinets near their schools.

“This year we wanted to tie-in with the brilliant FEASTival event and the youngsters have really bought into the idea of learning about healthy eating and growing their own food at home.

“Hopefully we may have inspired the next generation of green fingered gardeners.”

The schools taking part in the Freedom Cabs project include Mersey Primary Academy, Estcourt Primary Academy, Ings Primary School and Woodland Primary School.

During the past few months each school enjoyed visits from community gardeners who have talked about home growing, healthy eating and given pupils ideas about what to put on their cabs.

Each school has created colourful designs for two street cabinets each, bringing some home-grown public art to the streets nearby. The eight finished, decorated cabs which were unveiled on Friday, 18 August, will go on display at FEASTival during the Freedom Festival weekend.

Each youngster taking part in the cabs project has also been given a seed pot to take home and grow their own tomatoes during the summer holidays.

Billy Clarke, eight, a year three pupil at Escourt Primary school, said he’s been proud to take part in the project.

He said: “It was a lot of fun to do at school because we got to use our imaginations making the drawings. I drew a colourful sky and a bird for freedom. It make me feel proud because a lot of people in the city will be able to see the pictures on show.”

Ava White, also a year three pupil at Estcourt Primary School, said she had enjoyed growing her tomatoes as part of the FEASTival project.

She said: “I’ve been growing them at my grandma’s because she has a greenhouse where she grows all sorts of fruit and vegetables. They’re yummy and I’ve been stuffing them in my face!”

To see more of the Freedom Cabs click here