More than £10,000 has been raised in the first few weeks of a fundraising campaign to help transform Norwich Castle's keep.
People's support for the historic landmark's Keep Giving appeal has led to it raising a fifth of its £50,000 target since it was launched in September. The money will go towards the £13.5m Norwich Castle: Gateway to Medieval England project which aims to re-imagine the castle's keep as it was in its royal palace heyday, including recreating the keep's main Norman floor and great hall.
Dr John Davies, chief curator at Norfolk Museums Service, and who is leading the project, said: 'We are absolutely delighted to have reached 20pc of our £50,000 target for the Keep Giving campaign in only three weeks. It has been both touching and humbling to read the messages of support which have accompanied many donations, with people expressing how much Norwich Castle means to them and their willingness to support its future.'
A key part of the Keep Giving campaign is the Keep Adopting scheme which gives people the chance to sponsor historic artefacts in the castle's collection.
Dr Davies said: 'Our Keep Adopting scheme in particular seems to have caught people's imaginations. The arms and armour items are proving incredibly popular but there are also plenty of other wonderful objects available, including some lovely pieces of medieval jewellery which would make memorable gifts. The quality of the workmanship of many of the objects is a reminder of the sophistication and artistry of this period of history – something we want to bring back to the castle as a whole through the Gateway to Medieval England project.'
More than 90pc of the money has been raised for the Gateway to Medieval England project, including £9.2m from Heritage Lottery Fund. The Keep Giving appeal is a key part of the campaign because it helps demonstrate the public's support for the ambitious project. There are many ways you can donate to Keep Giving, including via donation boxes in the castle, by texting Keep17 and your donation amount to 70070, by visiting www.justgiving.com, and by sending a cheque payable to Norfolk Museums Development Foundation to Keep Giving, Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich NR1 3JQ.
For more about the Keep Adopting scheme, visit www.adoptanobject.co.uk
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