Fritton Village showcases new sign
Villagers in Fritton have proudly unveiled a new sign thanks to a generous grant.
Unveiling of the new Fritton village sign made by North Norfolk Artist Fiona Davies, pictured with Gareth Brown, Chairman of GYTABIA – Pic by TMS Media
Artist Fiona Davies was commissioned by the Greater Yarmouth Tourism Business Improvement Area (GYTABIA) to provide a new fibreglass sign after years of weather exposure left the original one beyond repair.
With £4,000 available Ms Davies has created a sign that mirrors the carvings found on the original, which was erected close to St Edmunds Church in 1986.
It depicts the historical church, military associations and the wildfowling husbandry carried out on the lake at Fritton Decoy during medieval times.
The sign, which has been installed opposite the village hall, took six weeks to complete using acrylic paint with a car lacquer to give added protection from weathering.
Ms Davies, who lives in East Runton, has worked on about 30 village signs so far over the past six years.
She said: “I am really pleased with the sign – it is one of my best. I have done more detail than before including iridescent paint on the Mallard duck’s head to make it look more realistic.
“I really enjoy doing these signs, meeting local people and delving into local history – and know how important they are to a village community.”
Ms Davies has given a basic undercoat to the original sign and returned it to the village to be repainted by the community and displayed in the village hall.
The project was made possible with funding from GYTABIA, which strives to increase visitors to the borough and boost the local economy.
Its chairman Gareth Brown said: “We felt that providing the money for Fritton’s new village sign was a real necessity as this particular village is a prime example of the diverse attractions on offer in our area.
“There’s an owl sanctuary, a pub, restaurant, lovely walks and a whole host of other things to enjoy so a new bold sign can only enhance these experiences.”
Adrian Myers, Great Yarmouth borough councillor for Lothingland said he was delighted with the finished result.
“We are truly grateful for the generous funding from GYTABIA, because without it the project would never have got off the ground.
“Even though Fritton is a small village, there is always a hive of activity and there are some very interesting businesses, so we hope the sign will alert even more people to the area.”
Unveiling of the new Fritton village sign made by North Norfolk Artist Fiona Davies pictured with Gareth Brown, Chairman of GYTABIA. Pic by TMS Media
Picture captions:
• Artist Fiona Davies and Gareth Brown, chairman of Greater Yarmouth Tourism Business Improvement Area unveiling the new Fritton village sign.
• The new Fritton sign has been installed opposite the village hall.
Pictures: TMS Media.
Media contacts:
Issued on behalf of Greater Yarmouth Tourism Business Improvement Area by TMS Media.
For more information contact Kirsty Burn, marketing manager on 01493 846340, Kirsty.Burn@great-yarmouth.gov.uk or Louisa Lay at TMS Media, 01493 662929, louisa@tms-media.co.uk
