Many celebrations and activities are taking place for the Queen's platinum jubilee and one town council has launched a 'gives back' campaign - encouraging locals to undertake community service linked to the number 70.

The Beccles 'gives back' campaign is a project designed to promote public service as a way of saying thank you to the Queen for her 70 years on the throne.

Examples of this could include a child growing 70 plants and selling them in aid of a local charity or a teenager offering to do 70 minutes of litter-picking for a number of days near his or her home or a retired adult who might spend 70 minutes on the phone ringing two or three people who are socially isolated.

Local schools and children and young people’s groups will be contacted to give them the opportunity to take part.

Already Jack Morris, one of Beccles and District Museum’s young volunteers, has pledged to do 70 hours of work at the museum in the next year.

A keen swimmer he is planning on completing a number of lengths at Beccles Lido connected with the number 70.

To promote the idea Beccles Town Council has set up a working party, chaired by Councillor Barry Darch.

Apart from the benefits to individuals and groups that receive support through the project, it will provide an opportunity to help people feel that they are emerging from the restrictions of the pandemic and making a valuable contribution to the town.

Some of the ideas will be shared at an event at St Michael’s Church on Saturday, June 4, starting at 2 pm and will take the form of a celebration in word and music with a royal theme.

The event is called ‘Beccles Celebrates Jubilee Again’ and will include a display of how Beccles has celebrated at previous royal jubilees.

Beccles Gives Back also aims to be an information point about local platinum jubilee events, so, if people are planning an event, they are advised to let the council know and the event will be added to the master-list.

Beccles Gives Back will run from May 1 this year to the end of April 2023.