Events have been held across Norfolk to support people who make up the armed forces community.

Eastern Daily Press: Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY.Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY. (Image: Archant)

Armed Forces Day is marked on the last Saturday of June each year and during the week leading up to it, there were commemorations with flags raised on buildings and well known landmarks.

In North Walsham, residents and visitors to the market town marked the day for the first time.

Saturday's event included a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

The day also included a display of military artefacts in the town's Atrium, with cadets and air training corps taking part, a speech and poetry reading session, and a free screening of Storming Juno.

Eastern Daily Press: Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY.Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY. (Image: Archant)

Air Commodore Kevin Pellatt, the Armed Forces Commissioner in Norfolk, also presented prizes to the winning entries of a writing competition between the town's high school pupils and cadets about threats facing the UK's armed forces.

In Downham Market, members of the Royal British Legion Downham and District Branch and veterans gathered in the town square on Monday to mark the start of Armed Forces Week.

The armed forces flag was raised from the town hall flagstaff by the town's deputy mayor, Jenny Groom, who said she was particularly proud to be part of the ceremony.

The Royal British Legion held its annual event celebrating Armed Forces Day in Cromer.

Eastern Daily Press: Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY.Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY. (Image: Archant)

It took place at the town's parish hall on Church Street, on Saturday June 29, from 9.30am.

The event was opened by Hugh King, the chairman of Norfolk Royal British Legion, along with the mayor of Cromer, Richard Leeds.

This year there were new displays including military dioramas, audio-visual displays of RAF aircraft, along with representatives from organisations who made the event their first visit to Cromer.

Two events were held in Great Yarmouth to celebrate armed forces personnel past and present.

Eastern Daily Press: Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY.Pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham showed their support for Armed Forces Day. Picture: NICHOLAS HAMOND ACADEMY. (Image: Archant)

A flag-raising ceremony took place at the front of Great Yarmouth Town Hall on the Monday at 11am, as part of celebrations ahead of Armed Forces Day.

On Armed Forces Day itself, Col Terry Byrne, the borough's parade marshal, organised an event in the Market Place with information stalls on SAFFA (the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association charity), the Royal British Legion and the charity Blesma.

There were also military vehicles on display and the mayor, Michael Jeal, presented veteran badges to 10 local people.

On Friday June 28, chairman of Breckland Council, Lynda Turner, raised the Armed Forces Day flag outside Breckland Council's offices in Dereham.

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

Ahead of the flag raising, Ms Turner told event attendees that the council had launched a new online resource to help armed forces personnel and their families to access support for housing, job opportunities and mental health resources.

The new information page can be found at www.breckland.gov.uk/armed-forces-community.

Ms Turner said: "We would like to thank and show our appreciation for all members of the armed forces, whether they are veterans or are still actively serving. They put themselves in danger to keep us safe and protect our way of life, I am incredibly proud to raise this flag today as way of showing our gratitude. We have a long history of supporting the armed forces and our new online resources should make it easier than ever for servicemen and servicewomen to access information about the help that is available to them."

A minute's silence was also observed prior to the flag being raised.

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

On the same day, pupils from The Nicholas Hamond Academy in Swaffham also showed their support and wore uniforms including Army and RAF cadets, guides, scouts and St Johns Ambulance.

Assemblies included special guests from the military, governors, mayor, deputy mayor and a student "civilian salute".

And in west Norfolk, the mayor and Hunstanton Branch of Royal British Legion held a small ceremony at the Cenotaph.

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)

Eastern Daily Press: Model maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David PritchardModel maker and diorama creator, Nigel Pearce at a display of a Short Sunderland coming ashore at RAF Mount Batten at the Cromer Armed Forces Day 2019. Picture: David Pritchard (Image: David Pritchard)