Community group celebrates funding which will help replace iconic whale sculpture

A community association is over the moon after having two grant applications accepted.Members of the Lynn-based Harding’s Pits Community Association are celebrating two early 20th birthday presents after they were successful with important grant funding applications in recent weeks.The group, which established the Harding’s Pits Doorstep Green in South Lynn in 2004, was thrilled to be informed that their application for West Norfolk Council CIL funding to replace the iconic whale sculpture had been successful.

Rob Archer, HPCA chairman, said the timber whale was installed at Harding’s Pits shortly after 2004, but has deteriorated through time.He said: “This grant will allow us to replace it with a metal structure. Local firm Able Engineering have been selected to fabricate the new design and we hope to unveil images of that in coming weeks.“We thank all the local residents that supported our application to undertake this work, because we are sure that was an important factor in securing the funding.”The volunteers celebrated a second success when they recently learnt they had been awarded a £5,000 grant from the East Coast Community Fund that will contribute to ongoing site maintenance.Rick Morrish, HPCA vice chair, said they are so pleased to get this grant as finding money to support site management can be difficult.He said: “This scheme is part of a community engagement programme funded by the Orsted offshore wind farm.“It means everything to our group because it will allow us to replace some of our aging equipment.”The borough council also recently announced that it intends to support expansion of the Harding’s Pits open space, which will allow further tree planting and development of expanded community amenities.