JOINING forces for a pre-season makeover, staff from Norwich City and Lowestoft Town FC teamed up to “completely redecorate” the bar and social club facilities at Crown Meadow.

JOINING forces for a pre-season makeover, staff from Norwich City and Lowestoft Town FC teamed up to “completely redecorate” the bar and social club facilities at Crown Meadow.

A dozen staff from both clubs were involved in renovating the FA Vase finalists home facilities in preparation for the new season.

And giving the social room a lick of paint, there was a real blue and white feel to the ground after hours of hard work last Friday.

The project, which was the 12th undertaken by Canaries for the Community scheme,

Founded by Duncan MacInnes in 2003, he told The Journal: “Each year we do one project in the community and one helping East Anglian non-league football teams to show that Norwich City want to help grassroots football - and show how important that is.”

In the past, successful projects have been undertaken at Diss Town, Thetford Town, Holt United, Wroxham and Great Yarmouth - but according to Mr MacInnes “we've saved the best for last!”

“It is great that Norwich has such a good relationship with leading area teams,” he said. “All the projects are sponsored by Aviva and they pay for all the paint, materials and brushes. “And it's great to come to help Lowestoft especially as Jenny (Gillett) used to work for Norwich.”

Hailed as a success, there was even a fleeting visit from former City legend and Canaries for the Community patron Jeremy Goss - and a delighted Ms Gillett, Lowestoft's sales and marketing director, told The Journal: “It is really, really great that Norwich City have come to help us - it's fantastic for us. “It's all about trying to take the club forward and given the social club really did need a clean-up it's great that we can complete that today.”

As well as these works, which were completed by Friday afternoon, the YMCA have been helping groundsman David Page in painting the changing room areas.

“Everything is getting a facelift in preparation for the new season, which we're all looking forward to,” Gillett said. “What Norwich have done has helped us so much and will make such a massive difference.”