A former England football captain will help to launch a new group in Lowestoft.

Ipswich Town legend and former England skipper Terry Butcher will return to his hometown to help unveil the new Sporting Memories Group at Lowestoft Library.

Lowestoft Library is joining the Sporting Memories team next week with a new group launching on Thursday, March 8.

The new group was set to launch yesterday (Thursday, March 1) but the event was postponed due to the weather – and now sporting images, star names and great games from yesteryear will be recalled alongside a visit to the library from Terry Butcher as he shares memories from his career.

The Sporting Memories reminiscence groups have been running recently at five libraries in Suffolk, with Lowestoft Library the latest venue to join the team. The Sporting Memories Groups are for anyone aged over 50 and are a great way of bringing people together, creating new friendships and enjoying a chance to revisit memories and share stories prompted by sporting images and memorabilia from local and national collections.

Open to all, the sessions include games, quizzes and a fun game or activity, and welcome people living with dementia, depression and loneliness by bringing people together to talk about their memories of sport.

The Lowestoft group is launching on Thursday, March 8 at the library at 10.30am where Mr Butcher will be visiting to share memories from his career.

The new group aims to meet in the library every Thursday from 10.30am to 12.15pm. Suffolk Libraries is also still looking for helpers and volunteers to support the groups.

The presence of Mr Butcher at the launch will bring back memories of Ipswich's triumphant UEFA cup-winning team of 1981 and his England career. But the project is not just about football and whether its speedway, cricket, or visits to the Olympics everyone is encouraged to share their sporting memory.

Richard Hunt, Sporting Memories Suffolk Project Manager, said: 'Lowestoft library is the perfect place to bring people together to form a new groups and we hope people will come forward to find out more.'

Tony Goldson. Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Health, said: 'I am delighted to see Sporting Memories groups spreading across the library network in the county.'

Anyone interesting in helping to facilitate or support the new group at Lowestoft Library can find out more by contacting Library Manager Jo Wilde on 01502 674660 or email jo.wilde@suffolklibraries.co.uk