A charity which has been a part of the education of thousands of schoolchildren who have visited Holt Hall has announced its closure.
The Friends of Holt Hall, which has been an independent registered charity for more than a decade, has called time on its work after the controversial sale of the hall.
The Grade II-listed Victorian property - which over 70 years has been used by generations of schoolchildren for outdoor learning and residential trips - was sold by Norfolk County Council to Gresham's School for £4.25 million.
READ MORE: Is Holt Hall now lost for the people of Norfolk?
Tom Green, chairman of the Friends of Holt Hall, said: “I often meet adults who say that their residential visits to Holt Hall remain among some of the most valued experiences of their school days.
“Times change, but as far as Norfolk County Council provision for outdoor and environmental education is concerned, the writing was sadly on the wall some years ago, as the human and material resources of the Norfolk education department began to be depleted and wonderful public assets such as How Hill, the Wells Field Studies Centre and now Holt Hall were sold off.
"It became pretty clear that Norfolk County Council put other financial priorities above these once acclaimed and innovative educational establishments.”
READ MORE: 'It's awful' - Campaigners who battled to save Holt Hall angry at sale
The council said its decision to sell Holt Hall came after the site was running at a £270,000 loss and needed £600,000 in maintenance to continue operating.
Council leaders have said the money will be put towards capital projects – such as building new schools for children with special educational needs.
The closing charity has made grants to a number of local charities with outdoor learning services and projects – continuing its legacy of helping children in Norfolk to learn from the great outdoors.
“We are now able to celebrate the distribution and investment of our remaining young persons’ bursary fund into the safe hands of other well-respected charities,” Mr Green added.
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