New civic society hopes to develop a civic pride in Great Yarmouth

Civic Society of Great Yarmouth (Image: Civic Society of Great Yarmouth)

Now it is hoped to develop a sense of civic pride in the town and take ownership of the streets and buildings to make it a better place to live.

The Civic Society of Great Yarmouth is being launched next week with the aim of making the town a better place in which to live – and at the same time protect its cultural and architectural heritage.

The founding group of people from across all walks of life hope to create a sense of civic pride, which will include better signage, improved cleanliness and good development among others.

The inaugural public meeting is on Tuesday, September 19 at Christchurch in Deneside.

On the agenda will be the good and bad points of Yarmouth, what the newly-formed civic society intends to do, what other civic societies have achieved in their towns and cities - and how to engage younger people in its activities to preserve and better for their futures.

Chairman and instigator Hugh Sturzaker said: 'Too often one reads and hears criticisms of Great Yarmouth yet the town has so much potential.

'In spite of this, the perception of Great Yarmouth is not good and all of us living in the borough or who come from further afield to work in it, need to come together to help improve the town. We need to take ownership of our own street, building or square and see how we can improve its appearance. We need to develop a sense of civic pride.'

The founding group has set up a constitution and a committee to get it off the ground and present it to the wider public. Foundation membership will be open to anyone with an interest in Yarmouth, at a cost of £10 annually, and will have a website – www.civicsocietyGY.co.uk - and a Facebook page.

The new society's logo incorporates the town's royal crest - a lion's head with a fish tail.

The meeting starts at 7.30pm and is open to all with free admission.