Great Yarmouth Samaritans were presented with Freedom of the Borough for their community work.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council voted to bestow the honour to Great Yarmouth Samaritans for the work we do in the community to supporting people in crisis. The award was recognition of more than five decades of volunteer service, supporting thousands of people every year through phone lines, outreach sessions and talks.
They also presented a scroll to Jayne Biggs of defibrillator charity Heart2Heart Norfolk; Hugh Sturzaker, a retired surgeon who became lead governor at the James Paget Hospital, and 87-year-old Cecil Page, who founded the Kingfisher Amateur Boxing Club.
Councillors and guests gathered in the Assembly Room at the Town Hall on 6th November for the Freedom of the Borough event; the highest honour the council can give.
The contribution they have all made, and continue to make, to our community is an inspiration to all of us
Carl Annison, mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth
It was in 1312 that John Fraunceys of Caister was named the first Freeman of Great Yarmouth.
Traditionally there were two ways in which to gain the Freedom of the Borough; sons of freemen who were born after their fathers had become a freeman, and apprentices of freemen who had served their masters for seven years could claim the right to be admitted.
Historical recipients of the Freedom of the Borough include Prime Minister William Pitt (1757) and Admiral Lord Nelson (1800).
It was a great honour for the branch and all of the dedicated volunteers to be recognised for the work they do and have done in the community for over half a century
Chris Bidgood, branch co-director of the Great Yarmouth Samaritans
The scroll now sits proudly in the branch
The full text on the scroll reads:
At a meeting of the Council of the Borough of Great Yarmouth held on the sixth day of November 2025 is was resolved
That in recognition of the eminent and valuable services rendered to the people of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for over a period of fifty seven years that the Honorary Freedom of the Borough is presented to
Great Yarmouth Samaritans
Where volunteers have worked tirelessly to provide vital emotional support to residents and communities across the Borough since 1968 and, in addition to staffing telephone helplines, provided outreach events whilst promoting community awareness of the Samaritan service, in further recognition of their services they received the Kings award for voluntary service in 2023.