Statue of Benjamin Britten set for seafront in his hometown

It comes as a two-and-a-half year campaign to create a statue of Benjamin Britten, as a boy, on the seafront opposite the house in which he was born reached its £120,000 fundraising target.

Dreams have become reality after a community project was launched in April 2022 to unveil a statue of Britten, as a boy, looking out over the sea that inspired his music in his birth town of Lowestoft.

A mock up of the Britten as a boy sculpture earmarked to be unveiled close to Lowestoft seafront. Picture: Britten as a Boy statue committee (Image: Britten as a boy)

With the aim of inspiring future generations of the town’s children it will now be unveiled next year just yards away from where the world-famous composer, conductor and pianist was born.

The Britten as a Boy statue committee - led by Lowestoft-born Classic FM presenter, broadcaster and children's author Zeb Soanes and a team of passionate locals - fittingly reached the fundraising target on Britten’s birthday.

Back then - Zeb Soanes at sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley's studio in December 2021 as he saw the clay model of the Britten as a Boy statue for the first time. Picture: Zeb Soanes (Image: Zeb Soanes)

Mr Soanes said: "Benjamin Britten wanted to be remembered as a composer who served his community.

"It is therefore fitting that our final fundraising event was a community bake sale attended by local councillors at Lowestoft's Kirkley Centre.

"What makes it so meaningful is that all the money raised has come from many small donations.

"This is Britten’s home town and his admirers throughout the world have been paying tribute to him."

Among the international admirers was the Oscar-winning film composer James Horner, who worked on 1997's Titantic and drew inspiration from Britten’s music - with Horner’s widow Sara making a donation in his memory. 

Mr Soanes added: "The statue project has reawakened a passion and appreciation for Britten in his home town."

Zeb Soanes and Ian Rank-Broadley with the statue of Britten as a Boy, which is set to be installed opposite the composer’s childhood home in Lowestoft. Picture: Zeb Soanes (Image: Zeb Soanes) With the UK’s foremost sculptor in bronze, Ian Rank-Broadley, having been chosen to create the statue, it will now be installed next summer.

The royal sculptor - who holidayed in Lowestoft as a child and created the Diana Memorial Statue - said: "The genius of Britten appeared in childhood.

"This statue of him as a boy in Lowestoft can inspire generations of children to follow their dreams."