An event held to showcase all that Beccles has to offer is returning for the fifth year.

Beccles Charter Weekend will take place on June 30 and July 1 to celebrate the granting of the town’s historic charter by Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1584.

The weekend will include historic boats and river trips, exhibitions, open gardens, music, special displays and more.

And for the first time this year, the Waveney Wild Swim will be staged to tie in with the celebration on Sunday, July 1, with swimmers setting off from the Waveney River Centre, in Burgh St Peter, and swimming down the river for about 11.5km to Beccles Quay.

Hugh Taylor, one of the organisers of Charter Weekend, said: “Beccles Charter Weekend is five years old this year. The weekend gives an opportunity to any group or organisation based in or connected to the town to celebrate what they do as well as to raise funds if they wish to.

“During the weekend a number of gardens, courtyards and other spaces of interest in the town will be open to the public and this year’s event has a number of new participants, notably the Beccles Men’s Shed and the Beccles Fairtrade group, as well as groups such as the Waveney Stardust which have supported Charter Weekend from the very beginning.

“Charter Weekend is intended to be a celebration of the town and during it visitors and residents alike are encouraged to visit some of its secret places and many attractions.”

Other events include a quilt exhibition and flower designs at Hungate Church, where members of the Men’s Shed will also be displaying some of the projects they have been working on, water bicycles and historic boats at Hippersons Boatyard, a meet the author event at Town Hall, the Waveney Stardust offering river tributes and a floral display celebrating Beccles’ status as a Fairtrade Town outside Beales.

The library, museum, bell tower and St Michael’s Church will also be involved, along with other venues.

Free parking and tea in the courtyard will be available at Beccles Free School, and the school has also offered up its minibuses to transport visitors into the town centre.

The full programme is available online at www.becclescharterweekend.wordpress.com