King's Lynn chapel stalwart honoured for project work

A long-serving fundraiser has been given a special award for his role in the restoration of Lynn's St Nicholas Chapel.

Adrian Parker, who is currently president of the town's Trinity Rotary Club, has been given the movement's Community Service Award in recognition of his contribution to the project.

And he says the work of the Friends group that he set up to spearhead the project will continue.

He said: “This presentation was a complete surprise, I had no idea but I am very honoured.

"The restoration at St Nicholas’ Chapel was a labour of love for me but I could not have done it without the tremendous support of the other “Friends”, for which I thank them.

"We have not stopped our support and will continue to promote further conservation projects and help others use the Chapel as a community facility.”

More than £2.7 million was spent on the project to convert the chapel into a community concert and heritage venue, which was completed three years ago.

Although much of the money was drawn from a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the Friends group led local efforts to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds, which enabled the grant to be secured.

Nick Corke, the Rotary movement's East Anglian district community and vocational chairman, who made the presentation, said: “This award is not given lightly but recognises someone, whether Rotarian or not, who has made an outstanding contribution to his or her local community which deserves to be acknowledged.”