Sculpture to promote the importance of protecting and improving the local countryside

Date published: 2nd May 2018

North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) has commissioned local artist Kate Munro to work with children from Sheringham Primary School to create a sculpture made from (cleaned) beach litter. The project is designed to raise awareness of the issues rubbish causes marine life.

The Sheringham Mo Museum is providing Kate and the children the space to create the sculpture and is hosting the official unveiling to the public on Monday May 7 (2pm-4pm).

The sculpture will then be on show at the Blue Flag Awards, which will be hosted on Cromer Pier on May 17.

After that it will go on a tour of the district’s beaches as part of NNDC’s summer holiday Blue Flag beach events. The council’s Countryside Ranger team will be actively engaging visitors to these beaches about the effect litter can have on marine life.

Finally, the sculpture will go on permanent display at Sheringham Primary School.

NNDC is proud to have been awarded six Blue Flag beaches, at East Runton, West Runton, Cromer, Mundesley, Sea Palling and Sheringham in 2017.

The council is hoping for a repeat result in 2018. However, rubbish still washes up every day along the district’s coastline, and the council is keen to improve beach cleanliness even more.

Cllr Hilary Cox, NNDC Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “There are many benefits to this kind of project.

“It engages children about the importance of clean beaches, it shows our visitors that we are actively promoting beach cleanliness and it provides a talking point.”