MUSEUMS in Ipswich have been awarded a £48,000 grant from the lottery fund, The Evening Star can reveal today.The Ipswich Borough Museums Service will use the Heritage Lottery Fund money to establish stronger links with the community by employing a community projects officer for two years.

MUSEUMS in Ipswich have been awarded a £48,000 grant from the lottery fund, The Evening Star can reveal today.

The Ipswich Borough Museums Service will use the Heritage Lottery Fund money to establish stronger links with the community by employing a community projects officer for two years.

The officer will work to build up more partnerships with heritage-related organisations and communities in the area.

The officer, employed by the Ipswich Borough council-run museum service, will also increase the communities' involvement in protecting and promoting Ipswich's cultural inheritance.

A spokesman for the council, said: "One key task will be to identify exactly what heritage the town has and then make people more aware of the treasures on their doorstep."

The service will also produce two major exhibitions at the Museum, in High Street, and run some roadshows in a range of community venues.

The Community Studies project will also add to the museum's community learning programme.

Councillor Judy Terry, culture and leisure portfolio holder for the council, said: "We are delighted to have won this grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and are pleased to be able to develop the links between the Museum and the community.

"It is important to involve as many people as possible in our rich heritage and to take exhibitions to the people."

Is a community projects officer necessary? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk