AS a group, we would like to correct some of the misconceptions in the letter about Newton and Earlestown Community Group’s bid to commemorate a local hero at the centenary of the First World War.

We decided to take this project on as a group to do something significant. It’s a shame that the person who wrote the letter doesn’t feel that our only ever local VC winner deserves an ambitious project.

Secondly, as we said in the original article, it would be a mix of fundraising and arts grant funding bids. Not money that can be spent on anything other than arts projects.

If the person who wrote the letter would like to work on a project to raise money for ex servicemen and women, we’d be more than happy to support them as a group.

It’s a shame that this person feels this way. Especially when Runcorn have just raised £50,000 alone for the first of their four statues to commemorate their VC winners.

So far, we’ve had only positive feedback from relatives of Norman Harvey, the public, local schools, cadet groups, our councillors and other community organisations including the Royal British Legion. It’s the only project locally that we are aware of to commemorate this historic legacy.

We look forward to making a success of this project and displaying a new and fitting tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our values.

Marie Ablitt, chair of NECG, Newton and Earlestown Community Group