Suffolk is set to stage a host of exciting Jubilee celebrations during 2022 – bringing the county's communities, including those in the Felixstowe area, together to mark this momentous milestone.

Her Majesty The Queen will become the first ever British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, on Sunday 6 February, after 70 years of service.

The unprecedented anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year, with a four-day UK bank holiday taking place from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June to enable people to commemorate the occasion.

Plans are already in place for a Festival of Suffolk – the county's biggest ever community event. This year-long spectacular will incorporate much-loved existing events, such as the Suffolk Show, alongside dedicated Jubilee celebrations, including a race day and torch relay. Details on the latest line-up can be found at: www.festivalofsuffolk.org/.

Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston commented: "I am delighted that Suffolk is providing a wealth of Jubilee events for everyone to enjoy.

"This will not only unite communities in joyful celebration but will also create a powerful legacy to increase the visibility of our county and improve local lives for many years to come."

A highlight of the festival is the Big Jubilee Lunch, set to take place on Sunday 5 June. The initiative encourages people to come together and celebrate, either by hosting their own street party or simply enjoying a cup of tea with a neighbour.

To help facilitate this, Suffolk County Council has set up a dedicated website: www.suffolk.gov.uk/PlatinumJubileeEvent and will waive its fees for any road closures for events on this day, as well as providing free assistance with traffic management for all applications received before 11pm on Sunday 27 March.

The council is also supporting the Queen's Green Canopy in Suffolk, which aims to plant over 775,000 new trees in 2022 – one for each resident in the county.

Almost a quarter of a million trees have been planted to date, with everyone urged to visit suffolk-lieutenancy.org.uk/queens-green-canopy/ and find out how they can 'Plant a Tree for the Jubilee' either directly or via one of the many organisations taking part in the scheme.

In addition to using the Jubilee as an opportunity to create a greener county, a focus on health and wellbeing will also form an important part of the celebrations, with plans for themed parkruns across Suffolk and a County Community Games tournament currently in development.

While primary school children across the county can participate in a Time Capsule Competition – enabling them to showcase how their school, students, teachers, and community have changed over the Queen's reign.

Schools have until 11 February to express their interest in the competition: www.suffolkarchives.co.uk/education/time-capsule/ and must submit their entry by 25 March, ahead of the winner being announced on 1 April.

The winning school will get the opportunity to visit The Hold – home to 900 years' worth of Suffolk's history – which will also house their time capsule entry to preserve it for future generations to enjoy.

Councillor Graham Newman, Chairman of Suffolk County Council, said: "On behalf of Suffolk, I'd like to wish Her Majesty The Queen our heartfelt congratulations on the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

"Her Jubilee celebrations are even more poignant after a challenging few years, with Covid preventing us from doing many of the things that we all hold so dear.

"The Festival of Suffolk provides the perfect opportunity for us to spend time with loved ones or visit our favourite places again, and I'd encourage everyone to take part in what's set to be a splendid series of events for our county."

Businesses can also benefit from the occasion by attending the Suffolk Business Expo, scheduled for Monday 20 June to Friday 1 July.

The event – organised by Suffolk County Council, the Suffolk Chamber, and other partners – aims to showcase Suffolk businesses, whilst helping them to capitalise on the expected increase in tourists to the county and bounce back from Covid-19.