As the sun rises over Ness Point this Saturday, it will usher in the start of the tenth Suffolk Day.
It’s a celebration of everything that makes our county great, and a chance to thank those who make it even more special.
‘Celebrate the Sunrise County’ is this year’s theme, and we are returning to Lowestoft – the location of the very first Suffolk Day commemoration in 2016.
This year’s Suffolk Day proclamation, written by students from the Academies of Benjamin Britten, East Point and Ormiston Denes, speaks of Lowestoft’s bright future and rich history.
In autumn last year, Suffolk County Council completed the £145 million Gull Wing Bridge in Lowestoft, transforming local connectivity and supercharging economic prospects. This is just one example of how we are investing in our largest coastal town.
This year, the Suffolk Day proclamation will be read outside the Britten Centre at 9:30am, followed by the presentation of Suffolk Medals.
Since 2019, the presentation of the Suffolk Medals has been an essential part of our county celebrations. It is a fantastic way to acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond in making a significant and lasting individual contribution to our communities.
The Suffolk Medal is the highest honour that can be awarded by Suffolk to an individual. This year, five recipients will be awarded the Suffolk Medal, bringing the total number of medals presented to 25.
The First Light Festival opening parade will begin at 11am, starting from East Point Pavilion, as part of the UK’s only free beachfront festival.
The festival will welcome tens of thousands of people to what is forecast to be a sun-soaked beach to celebrate the solstice at the First Light Festival: a celebration of the first place to see the rising sun surrounded by music, sculptures and artists. I’ve been before and it’s amazing!
Suffolk Day also marks the launch of St Elizabeth Hospice’s fourth art trail – Hop to it! The trail will be hosted in Ipswich as well as other locations including Woodbridge, Felixstowe and Beccles for the first time. Suffolk County Council is pleased to support the trail again this year, recognising the vital work of the hospice in communities throughout the county.
Suffolk Fostering and Adoption Service has also sponsored a Hare through St Elizabeth Hospice’s Hopscotch Learning & Community programme. Staff from the service have already been busy raising funds – including a team effort to cycle more than 1,000 miles which raised over £1,100.
There’s a lot going on in the west of the county too, like a Taylor Swift tribute act playing at the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds or the Summer Rewind racing and music in Newmarket – both fun things to do on Saturday evening. Or if you want something more relaxing, why not just take a lovely walk in one of our beautiful parks – including Brandon Country Park, East Town Park in Haverhill or Aspal Close Local Nature Reserve in Mildenhall.
This year Suffolk Day comes at a particularly important time for the county. Suffolk’s six councils are being abolished and replaced with a new council structure as part of a national drive to improve efficiency and make public services clearer and easier to access.
It’s the biggest change to Suffolk’s councils for more than 50 years and we are very clear that having one new council for Suffolk is the smartest, simplest and best option. Having two or even three councils would cost more and maintain many of the negatives of the current set up. Every inch of Suffolk is special in its own way, but together it’s a truly powerful and wonderful force that is proof that the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts.
There’s a great chance for residents to have their say in our new survey. It asks questions about local democracy – such as how you raise issues that need addressing, local decision making – such as how you might want to get involved and about the specifics of council reorganisation itself.
The survey is open until 4 August, only takes about 10 minutes to complete, and can be done online at www.onesuffolkcouncil.co.uk/residents-survey, by emailing devolution@suffolk.gov.uk or by calling 0345 603 1842 where a member of Suffolk County Council’s customer services team can help residents to complete the survey. People can also visit any of Suffolk’s 45 libraries to complete it.
On the longest day this Saturday, please take a moment to reflect on what you love about Suffolk. Whether it is the big skies, stunning countryside, wonderful coastline or historic towns, please enjoy our fantastic county this Suffolk Day.
