Last year's launch of the anti-graffiti campaign Norwich City Centre. Left to right, Peter Mitchell, managing director of Jarrold, Inspector Chris Brooks, City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team and Julian Foster, chairman of the City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel. Mr Foster has died and the hunt is on for a suitable wall to pay tribute to him.

Police chiefs are searching for a suitable wall in the city which could be used by graffiti artists as a fitting and lasting memorial to a popular community champion, who died last year.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

Email address

  Send link

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

Julian Foster, chairman of the Central Norwich Citizens’ Forum and the city centre’s safer neighbourhood action panel, who was also a promoter of the city centre’s night-time economy, died in December following a short battle with cancer.

Mr Foster, an 80-year-old father-of-three and grandfather-of-four, was a tireless campaigner for the rights of people living in the city centre and was at the forefront of the Evening News’s Graffitibusters campaign.

The campaign, which was launched last year, was aimed at ridding the city’s streets of illegal graffiti tags by urging volunteers to donate paint and their time to clear up hotspots.

The passion Mr Foster showed towards the scheme has prompted police chiefs in Norwich, who want to find some kind of lasting memorial to Mr Foster, to begin a search for a wall which can be used for graffiti murals.

Insp Chris Brooks said they were looking to the council, or other wall owners, to be able to donate a suitable wall in the city centre area.

He said: “Graffiti was his latest campaign so therefore it would be a good one. It’s a mural wall very much like the underpass at Pottergate, but the question is where. It’s got to be somewhere close to the city centre.”

Sgt Peter Sharples said the wall would be a “very fitting way to remember him in a very permanent way”.

Mr Foster’s daughter Sue, who lives in London, said it would be a “fitting tribute” to him and his work in trying to tackle graffiti in the city.

Can you help in the search for a wall? Email brooksc@norfolk.pnn.police.uk or jeffcompton@norwich.gov.uk

Are you involved in a project to pay tribute to a community figure? Call reporter Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk