Page 647 - Aldeburgh Festival 2022 FINAL COVERAGE BOOK
P. 647
25 May 2022
LOWESTOFT TO GET BENJAMIN BRITTEN STATUE
Florence Lockheart
The statue, depicting Britten as a boy, is intended to inspire the town’s future generations.
The statue maquette (©Ian Rank Broadley) alongside Lowestoft Sea Front
The English costal town of Lowestoft is set to celebrate composer and Lowestoft native, Benjamin
Britten, with a statue of the composer as a boy.
The project, led by a team of locals including broadcaster and children’s author Zeb Soanes, aims
to use the statue to inspire the town’s future generations. He said: ‘Rather than the adult Britten at
the height of his powers, we choose to celebrate him as the Lowestoft boy who went on to achieve
great things. We hope this beautiful statue will inspire future generations of Lowestoft children to
gaze out to the horizon and dream big.’
The statue committee includes Soanes, Lowestoft and Kirkley community figures Phil Aves, Kim
Boundy, Ruth Wharrier and Matt Grafton as well as BBC antiques expert, writer and radio
broadcaster Elizabeth Talbot.
The committee also includes Fergus Fitzgerald, head of production at Adnams brewery which has
today launched a special edition whisky from which all profits will go towards the project.
Fitzgerald said: ‘For children growing up in Lowestoft, the statue should serve as a reminder that
