Hundreds raised for mission to keep Lincoln Barons

Local backers of a campaign to keep the 25 Lincoln Baron sculptures, introduced as part of Magna Carta celebrations, have taken their mission a step further.

In a fundraising drive set up by Lincoln Property Company, sponsors have pledged almost £800 to bid for the barons in a planned charity auction and donate them to the city.

The firm themselves even kicked off the donations with a £500 boost.

The auction on October 1, Lincolnshire Day, will see the Barons sold off to the highest bidders in aid of national foodbanks charity Trussell Trust.

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

With almost 4,000 people already behind a Facebook campaign to keep the barons, the aim of the Go Fund Me campaign is to buy out the bidders and find a solution to retaining the sculptures.

Lincoln Property Company say that if bids for the barons prove unsuccessful at auction, the money raised will be donated to the Trussell Trust.

Harry Conti from the firm said: “At Lincoln Property Co. we sell investors, landlords and tenants on the benefits and attractions of out city on a daily basis.

“We saw the overwhelming support for the ‘Lincoln Barons to stay’ Facebook page and realised how important these characters are to the community and the history of the city.

“By starting a GoFundMe page and pledging £500 we are hoping to raise as much money as possible in order to bid for the barons at auction.”

The group say they are aware of possible issues surrounding the sustainability of the sculptures through weather wear, however they are looking into donating the figures to indoor galleries and locations in the city.

Creator of the Lincoln Barons to Stay Facebook page, and local business woman Lucie Poole, wrote on the page: “I have to say a massive thank to Lincoln Property co for this.

“I am passionate about the barons, as a Lincolner born and bred I feel they are the first truly beautiful thing that has ever really captured so many people’s hearts and imaginations, not just local people but people who have visited from all over the globe!

“Not only do they draw people to the city but through the city encouraging them to explore and reach areas of our gorgeous city they may never have discovered otherwise.

“I strongly believe we need to fight to save ALL the barons, they will lose their appeal and how sad for them to be split up and hidden in peoples private collections- They belong in Lincoln and they belong together.”

As previously reported, organisers of the Barons’ Charter Trail through the city at Visit Lincoln explained that the auction is hoped to raise substantial funds for the Trussell Trust.

The team at Lincoln Property Co. are not the first to make a stand to keep the barons, with some deciding to ‘yarn-bomb’ the collection.

Take the Lincoln Barons’ Charter Trail through the city with our gallery here.