Community heroes who have gone beyond the call of duty have been honoured at a special awards ceremony.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: PC Stirling Parskreceives his award from Mayor of Beccles Hugh Taylor.PC Stirling Parskreceives his award from Mayor of Beccles Hugh Taylor. (Image: Archant)

Beccles Town Council held its annual awards evening on Tuesday when a number of people were honoured for their work.

Among those were 92-year-old Peter Hutton who has been a volunteer for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal for more than 25 years.

He was presented with the Leslie Freeman Award for Long Service in the Community.

He said: “It was such a surprise.

“I don’t like to make a fuss but it’s nice that it has happened.”

Mr Hutton was nominated by Poppy Appeal organiser for the town Jim Ruff, who said: “It is volunteers like this who turn out in all weathers which enables the Beccles branch to reach donations to Poppy Appeal in excess of £40,500 for the period 2014/15.”

He added that it was a “fitting reward” for his contribution to assisting local service men and women and their families within the Beccles area and wider Suffolk region.

The Robert Ellwood Award for Outstanding Service to the Community was presented to Don Graham in recognition of his work in support of the Waveney Centre - a day centre for retired people in Beccles which has been running since 1968.

Mr Graham is an active part of the centre’s daily life, being involved with activities and administration.

The award was collected on his behalf by his granddaughter.

A presentation was also made to PC Stirling Parsk, who has been based at Beccles Police Station and served the community for many years, in recognition of the esteem in which he is held by the town council and the people of the town.

PC Parsk retires from the police force in the coming year and town councillors were determined to thank him for all his hard work and support.

The presentations were made by Beccles mayor Hugh Taylor assisted by the mayor’s cadet Cpl James Horton of the Beccles Sea and Marine Cadets at Town Hall.

Do you know someone who deserves recognition for their work? Email lynn.crombie@archant.co.uk or call 01502 712060.