IT will be rightly remembered as the year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee after national celebrations in June.

But this week a Reydon group commemorated a similar milestone, with a party to mark its own 60th anniversary.

On Monday, the Reydon Marguerite Club welcomed 43 members to an afternoon of entertainment and special guests to recognise its long-lasting success.

It began with a welcome to members by the chairman of Reydon Parish Council, Barrie Remblance, followed by a brief history of the club and games of bingo and the card game, Hoy.

Guests were also delighted to learn of a letter and card from Buckingham Palace, which passed on the Queen's best wishes for the club's special day. It came after one member wrote to the Queen to offer her words of support as she prepared to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.

The couple who have been the driving force behind the club, Ann and Jack Robins, told of their pride at being associated with an organisation which remained so popular within the community.

Mrs Robins, 76, a retired headteacher who lives in Reydon, said: 'Everybody works together and everybody cares for everybody else. People will pick each other up if they cannot get here – everyone works for the good of everybody else.' The club was started by Enid Hutton and Stephen Forward in 1952 to provide a social club for people in Reydon.

It initially met at Reydon church hall, until a village hall was built and it then moved to new premises.

'Because it has such a good name we have had members coming from Southwold and Wangford to enjoy the atmosphere, but obviously we would like more members,' Mrs Robins said. 'We feel quite honoured to be in the position we are in during this particular year.'

The Reydon Marguerite Club was named after St Margaret church, Reydon.

?For more information on the club, or for details on joining, email Ann Robins at annrobins@live.com