A garden that brings tranquillity and peace to the heart of Hitchin, is set to benefit from a new sculpture thanks to funding from North Herts District Council's Hitchin Committee.

The Hitchin Quaker Meeting Peace Garden, located on the corner of Paynes Park and Bedford Road has been granted £2,000 towards the cost of a specially commissioned stainless steel sculpture called 'Unity'.

Working together with the art department of Hitchin Boys' School to design the new sculpture, the Hitchin Quaker Group will commission Diane Maclean, Hertfordshire based sculptor and environmental artist, to create the Unity sculpture.

The sculpture will act as a focal point in the garden and will comprise of two intertwined loops that seek to encourage thoughts of connectedness and balance.

The sculpture will join already established peace garden features including a dove shaped pond, peace pole, seating areas for quiet contemplation and a children's area. A Gaelic prayer mosaic is currently being created.

Chris Kell, convenor of the Peach Garden group said: "We are so pleased to have been offered this grant. It helps us on our way to the £10,000 we need for a professional sculpture – only £8,000 to go!

"We hope that this will be an eye-catching and thought-provoking piece of public art in Paynes Park, and that it will be enjoyed by everyone."

Hitchin Quakers have been in the town since the 1600's and the Hitchin Quaker Meeting group is a religious organisation who are committed to peace, truth, equality, simplicity and sustainability.

The peace garden was set up in 2016 in response to the centenary commemoration of World War 1.

Councillor Ian Albert, chair of the Hitchin Committee said: "The Peace Garden offers people who are visiting or working in the town a much needed chance to step out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life and take a quiet moment of reflection in beautiful surroundings.

"We wish the group the very best with raising the rest of the funds needed to help them commission this great new sculpture, and hope that the proposed grant from the NHDC Hitchin Committee will encourage others to get behind and contribute towards this fantastic initiative".

For more information on NHDC Community Grants click here