A town's public art collection amassed over 40 years has been sold off to benefit good causes.
They raised £10,400 - a sum that has been split between Centre 81 and the Sandra Chapman Centre at the James Paget University Hospital.
“This is a very happy ending for the collection,” said the society’s chair Margaret Carver. “These are two very good local causes and we are absolutely delighted to be able to support them in this way."
Part of the collection was on display in Gorleston library for 15 years but was removed when the library was refurbished.
Since then, all the pictures – including works by noted artists Campbell Mellon, Rowland Fisher and Geoffrey Chatten – have been out on loan or in storage.
“It’s disappointing that there wasn’t somewhere to have the collection on permanent display, and that all that talent was hidden away in a store,” said Mrs Carver. “We took the difficult decision to sell the paintings so that they could be enjoyed by new owners."
The permanent collection was started 40 years ago by Julian Macey to showcase the work of talented local artists, and most of the pieces were bought from the artists by the society.
Diana Staines, chief executive of Centre 81, said: “This is an extremely generous donation by the society and comes at a time when we are creating an amazing £1.5m facility for our skills and activities centre and community transport service.
“Art plays a big part in the lives of many of our disabled members, who get stimulus and a great deal of pleasure from the creative process.
"It’s wonderful to know that the sale of decades of work by such amazingly talented local people will play a part in Centre 81’s future.”
Maxine Taylor, charity co-ordinator at the James Paget University Hospital, said: “We are enormously grateful for this fantastic donation from the society which will be used to buy two chemotherapy treatment chairs for the Sandra Chapman Centre."
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