Dipple & Conway Opticians get first look at Diss Junior Academy’s dinosaur!

Pupils from Diss Church of England Junior Academy proudly unveiled their finished hand-painted T-Rex design to some special guest visitors just before February half-term.  

Matthew Conway from Dipple & Conway Opticians visited a group of year four and year five children on Thursday (10 February) to get the very first look at the children’s finished dinosaur, which is set to join Break’s GoGoDiscover sculpture trail in Norwich this summer. 

Since the autumn term, the budding young artists have been busy designing and painting their T-Rex sculpture as they have grasped the chance to join the GoGoDiscover Learning and Community Programme. 

Diss Junior is just one of 100 schools, clubs, and community groups who have been busily designing, painting, and decorating a three-foot Breakasaurus sculpture for the GoGoDiscover trail, organised by the charity Break, in partnership with Wild in Art.

Dipple & Conway Opticians, with a practise in the market place in Diss, is sponsoring the programme and decided to donate a Breakasaurus sculpture to Diss Junior Academy so local children could sink their teeth into this colourful, creative and county-wide initiative.

The family-run firm has also donated a Breakasaurus sculpture to Heartwood Primary in Swaffham and Recreation Road in Norwich. As a result, these three schools (all based in the local communities in which Dipple & Conway has practises) have been able to get involved in the project for free. 

Before the half-term break, Matthew Conway, managing director and Sally Philips Diss manager and dispensing optician, visited the school to see the finished dinosaur design for the very first time. 

Matthew and Sally explained to the children how important it is to take care of their eyes and took part in a special ‘look closely, discover more’ lesson. 

Matthew Conway explains;  “We decided to donate three dinosaur sculptures to schools in our local communities to give children the opportunity to sink their teeth into this brilliantly fun and educational programme; something that generates lots of smiles while learning about art, science and working together as a school community to create something they can all be really proud of.”

“It’s clear to see the children have worked so hard on their sculpture, and everyone has been able to share ideas and get creative. This programme gives schools, colleges, and community groups the chance to decorate their very own dinosaur sculpture and see it go on display as part of the main 2022 GoGoDiscover trail, which we’re excited to have back on the streets of Norfolk this summer, raising money for children’s’ charity Break.”

Once painted, these Breakasaurus sculptures will be exhibited across public spaces in cultural and leisure hubs across Norwich in the summer of 2022, before being returned to the pupils and groups who designed them.  

Ellie Edge from Break explains; “The GoGoDiscover Learning & Community Programme gives schools, colleges and community groups from across Norfolk the chance to get involved with our dino-themed trail and get creative by designing and painting their very own mini T.rex sculpture.  It’s brilliant to have Dipple & Conway Opticians on board as our headline sponsor and we thank them for generously donating their three smaller sculptures to these schools.”

Mrs Gooch, art teacher at Diss Church of England Junior Academy comments; “We’ve loved working together as a school community on our T.rex, it’s been a real team effort and has sparked imaginations. The finished result features Hazel, Acer, Elder, Birch, Pine, Sycamore, Poplar, Juniper and Cherry leaves; the names of our classrooms, so it feels very connected to our school. The children cannot wait to see it on public display this summer.  A big thank you to Dipple and Conway Opticians for giving us the chance to stomp on board with this colourful and creative project.” 

GoGoDiscover is delivered by East Anglian based children’s charity Break in partnership with Wild in Art and aims to raise vital funds and awareness for vulnerable young people and children on the edge of care, in care and leaving care.For more information about Break visit www.break-charity.org Text TREX to 70085 to donate £3. Texts cost £3, plus one standard rate message. #GoGoDiscover