A CHARITY working to bring a famous Colchester landmark back to life is offering places on a free heritage course.

North Essex Heritage hopes to bring the Jumbo water tower in Colchester back into sustainable use and is offering a free course with history experts.

The series of events, called Jumbo Summer, is being supported through a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

One of the first events is the course of ten weekly evening heritage research workshops led by historians Patrick Denney and Andrew Phillips, starting on April 29.

Andrew Phillips said: “Jumbo has a fascinating history which we will be exploring from original sources.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and people don’t have to have studied history to join us, we want a broad range of skills and interests.”

Patrick Denney said plenty of experts will be on hand to give insight.

He said: “This is a rare opportunity to learn all about the history of jumbo - why and how it was built, why it was decommissioned and much more.

“The sessions are free and the speakers will include local historians and experts from the water industry.”

Other Jumbo Summer events will include the making of an animated film, children’s art projects and heritage and design workshops.

On May 11 there will be public talks by a group of historians at Firstsite.

The activities have also received support from Colchester Council and the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Jumbo Week will take place on the run-up to a final celebration event at Firstsite on July 21.

Town centre shops and traders will be encouraged to display posters and other decorations designed by children, and to decorate windows with a Jumbo-themed displays.

There are still a few spaces on the ten-week heritage course, email kettlecomms@gmail.com for an application form before noon on April 22. For more information on Jumbo Summer visit www.colchesterbpt.co.uk.