Group revived as more volunteers sought to help open historic chapel

A community group which works to preserve historical monuments at a town park has been revived and is looking for new supporters.The Friends of the Walks was founded in 2007 to represent local residents in the management of and planning decisions regarding The Walks in Lynn.New chairman Rick Morrish said: “A new committee has been formed and our goal is to make our premier public open space even better.

“There are over 7,000 ‘Friends’ groups helping to manage public spaces in the UK and we think our nationally significant park will also benefit from that input.”The historic, urban park located near Tennyson Avenue in Lynn is the only surviving eighteenth century town walk in the county. Some of the most notable historic features of the park are the Guannock Gate, Red Mount Chapel and the Bandstand.

One of the Friends’ key developments over the years has been the opening of South Gates for public use at certain times.The first initiative the group is now coordinating is a new rota of volunteers to open the Red Mount Chapel for public use, with the chapel set to welcome visitors on Wednesdays and Sundays between May and September for the community to enjoy.New vice-chairman Gary Walker said: “We are looking for anyone interested in local history to welcome visitors and tell them the story of this unique building.“If you can spare a few hours a month please email our new secretary – secretaryfow@gmail.com.” “The Friends recently organised an official reception at the Red Mount Chapel with the borough mayor, Cllr Margaret Wilkinson, to welcome a group undertaking their annual pilgrimage to the shrine at Walsingham.“The chapel was first constructed as an attraction for pilgrims making this journey more than 500 years ago.” Mr Morrish added that the plans for The Walks consist of reviving the community allotment, reviewing some of the leaflets and trails and undertaking bulb planting work. These tasks are all with the aim of creating a more pleasant space for people in and around Lynn.More will be available on their website www.thewalks.uk as they develop it.Reporting by Lola Jackson