1473 x Suffolk New College

1473 was built on a simple idea — that young people in Ipswich have stories worth telling, and that a platform rooted in this town should be the one to tell them.

Over the last six months, we have met some of the coolest people doing some of the coolest things for this town. The trouble is that a lot of it gets lost — swallowed by an algorithm, buried between crowds, never quite finding the audience it deserves. That is what 1473 is here for.

Things are happening in Ipswich and they, simply, just need somewhere to land.

We are proud to announce a partnership with Suffolk New College — one of the largest further education colleges in the east of England, with over 13,000 students across its campuses.

Suffolk New College - Further Education Provider of the Year

Suffolk New College is a multi-award-winning institution that offers a diverse range of career-focused courses in amazing facilities.

Suffolk New College

From this autumn, 1473 and Suffolk New College will work together to give students real access to journalism, media, and content creation — not as a classroom exercise, but as published work that reaches actual people in this town.

Students from Suffolk New College will have the opportunity to contribute to 1473 — writing articles, conducting interviews, producing content, and developing the skills that come from doing the real thing rather than just studying it.

"By combining our strengths and networks, we can enhance support for learners and employers, strengthen community engagement, and help drive the economic success of our region. We look forward to building a long and impactful partnership that delivers real benefits across Suffolk." - Mary Gleave, Deputy CEO of Suffolk New College

This partnership matters because access to media experience is not always evenly distributed.

The students who get bylines, build portfolios and learn how newsrooms and content studios actually work are usually the ones with connections or the means to move to a bigger city and intern for free.

This is about changing that — locally, practically, and from the ground up.

The work is already happening. The interviews, the articles, the voices — this town has been showing up. Now we have an organisation showing up with us.

Miles and milestones: Megan’s journey

“Feeling your boobs once a month can save your life.”

1473Harriet Dunlop

Culture Perception: from Jordan to Essex

A cultural piece played on BBC upload on Thursday, 4 June 2026.

1473Layla Bukhari

The Smokehouse: A decade on South Street

The Smokehouse opened in 2016 in a disused office on South Street. A decade later it has put on 838 gigs, supported over 2,500 bands, and become one of the most important rooms in Ipswich. This September, it turns ten years old

1473Nicola Sebastian

1473 is for the young people of Ipswich and Suffolk. If you have something to say — about this town, its people, its culture, its future — we want to hear it.

email nicola@1473.co.uk or use the submission form button below!