Beccles Library activities and events

      The following activities are run regularly at Beccles library:
Day Time Activity
Thursdays 9.45am - 11.15am Family Playtime: from birth to four years old
Thursdays 2.00pm - 3.00pm Top Time - group for older people
Fridays  2.00pm - 2.30pm Baby Bounce and Tot Rock: from birth to three years old. Find out more about about Bookstart here
Sundays 10.30am - 12.00pm Fun Time Craft Activities: for children of all ages

Breath Easy Fortnight

Monday 6 September - Sunday 19 September

Carole Fisk of Breathe Easy Beccles & Bungay and a local respiratory nurse will be here giving advice on breathing related ailments, problems and help available on:

  • Tuesday 7 September 10.00am - 12.00pm;
  • Thursday 9 10.00am - 12.00pm;
  • Tuesday 14 10.00am - 12.00pm;
  • Friday 17 10.00am - 12.00pm.

Part of Suffolk Libraries Feeling Well events.

Health Promotion: Physical Activity

Tuesday 7 September 9.30am - 12.30pm

As the first of a 6 month arrangement with Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT; running Health Promotion workshops on (usually) the first Tuesday of every month at Beccles Library, we will have a health professional here offering advice and lifestyle guidance on physical activity.

Part of Suffolk Libraries Feeling Well events.

Know Your Numbers

Thursday 16 September 9.30am -11.30am

Steve Garrod & Kate Eastwood will be offering people the chance to check their blood pressure.

Part of Suffolk Libraries Feeling Well events.

English Bowls

Thursday 23 September, 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Jean MacHeath MBE, Suffolk Coach of the English Bowls Coaching Scheme; will be in the library showcasing the sport.

Part of Suffolk Libraries Feeling Well events.


Police Street Meet

Tuesday 14 September 10.00am - 12.00pm

Deborah Green from Beccles Police Station will be at Beccles library.

She usually has information on a specific theme (ie: shed security, anti social behaviour etc) but will be here to answer general questions if people have queries or concerns.

She is at Beccles library every 6 weeks.


Street Book Sale

Thursday morning 21 September

Beccles Library will be taking books into Beccles town centre to sell.


Beccles Annual Duck Race

The “Beccles Annual Duck Race” is on Sunday 5 September between 11.00am and 5.00pm – all ducks will be launched from Beccles Quay at approximately 2.30pm.

Prizes of £100 (1st place) £50 (2nd) and £25 (3rd) can be won and all funds raised will benefit local youth organisations. Lots of activities, stalls, entertainment and refreshments will be happening and Beccles Lions will be supplying a hog roast.

Beccles Library is an official Duck Seller – you can come and buy a duck for £2, buy a duck neck tag for £1 (if you wish to re-launch a duck you had last year) or order a corporate duck for £20

And after the race on Saturday 18 and Saturday 25 September all ducks will be on display at Beccles Library for you to “Claim Your Duck”.


2010 Summer Reading Challenge

Go to Suffolk Space Hop blog Take part in this years Reading Challenge - Suffolk Space Hop - in all Suffolk libraries and mobiles. 

Go to Suffolk Space Hop Blog and find out what's happening in your library. 


Tuesday 31 August, 3pm Making Aliens healthy eating workshop

Come along and take part in our Feeling Well activities in libraries

Top Time: Open House at Beccles Library

Open House is a group for older people with different weekly themes, everyone welcome, with tea and biscuits provided on Thursdays 2.00pm - 3.00pm.  No booking required, just come along on the day and join us.

Every Week

Baby Bounce and Tot Rock: from birth to three years old.
Every Friday 2.00pm - 2.30pm

Family Playtime: from birth to four years old.
Every Thursday 9.45am - 11.15am

Fun Time Craft Activities: for children of all ages.
Every Sunday 10.30am - 12.00pm

Suffolk Childrens University

Suffolk Children's University logo Are you aged between 5 and 14 years old? Suffolk Children's University gives you the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities outside of school hours. Don't forget to check for events and activities at  Beccles library.

Sign up here: Suffolk Children's University   

Past Activities at Beccles Library

Band Performance

Band playing Local folk / rock duo ‘Sanguine Sea’ played live outside the library on the afternoon of Saturday 21st – the first band to do so.

The band have been described as “Scott Walker meets Crowded House in an Irish bar” and were formed this year and play 100% original material; and played songs from their debut 6 track CD (which is being sold at the library) as well showcasing brand new tunes. All songs are written by Alan A Redmond, originally from Dublin, with melodic fiddle improvisations from local multi-instrumentalist; Rowen Elliott. The bands mission is to touch upon all levels of human emotion – “from the darkest downs to the highest highs, and everything in between”

An appreciative crowd gathered and by the end of their set; the act were stopped for CD’s and by keen listeners wanting to know further information. One regular to the library said “it’s nice to sit here drinking a coffee, reading a Saturday paper with the soothing sound of the music wafting in from outside”

For anyone who missed the performance; you can find out more information visit Sanguine Sea's MySpace  or pop into the library where their debut CD is being sold at a special promotional price of £2 each.


Talk by Poet Paul Birthill

On Tuesday 18 May Beccles Library had Paul Birtill, poet, playwright and entertainer extraordinaire, reading his poems. The event was a real success and saw 51 people turn up to listen to Paul speak about his work.

Have a Go at Rowing

Lady rowing Rowing with instructors

In April Beccles Rowing Club came to Beccles library and brought a rowing machine for people to have a go on and see if rowing was the sport for them. 

Health and Well-being Fortnight

5 - 16 October

On 5 October the Health & Well being fortnight was launched with the help of Councillor Terry Clements (assistant to Portfolio Holder for Sport, Culture, Diversity, Health and Wellbeing).

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Councillor Terry Clements (assistant to Portfolio Holder for Sport, Culture, Diversity, Health and Wellbeing) went on the morning walk and then took part in the bellydancing workshop with Lowestoft Bellydancing group, Mirage.

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Beccles Library users and staff have fun as well as exercise mixing themselves nutritious smoothies on the smoothie bike.

Beccles library opening hours