Superb sporting images, star names and great games from yester-year will be remembered as a new group launches in Lowestoft next week.

The Sporting Memories reminiscence groups have been running recently at five libraries in Suffolk – with Lowestoft Library set to join the team next week.

Suffolk Libraries have teamed up with the Sporting Memories Network to host Sporting Memories Groups, and the new group at Lowestoft Library launches on Thursday, March 1.

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 superb sporting images and memorabilia from local and national collections.

Open to all, the sessions include quizzes, games and activities while making new friends, with the groups also encouraging people living with dementia, depression and loneliness to come together and share sporting memories.

The Lowestoft group launches next Thursday at the library at 10.30am with the aim of running it every Thursday from 10.30am to 12.15pm. Visitors are also welcome bring along their memorabilia or photographs as these are a great way of triggering people's memories.

Richard Hunt, Sporting Memories Suffolk Project Manager, said: 'Sport is a powerful medium for many people, providing memories of great games, sporting legends and marvellous victories, but also the friendships made and the sense of community that playing or watching sports brings. Talking about sporting events and cultures of the time helps to give people their identity back and reconnect them to the people and generations around them.'

James Powell, marketing and communications manager at Suffolk Libraries, said: 'Suffolk Libraries are delighted to be working with Sporting Memories. 'Sport has touched all of our lives at some time, either at school, as an activity, spectator, or in our leisure time. Using the Sporting Memories collections and resources are an excellent way to reconnect with those experiences, bring friends together and have fun.'

Anyone interesting in helping to facilitate or support the new group at Lowestoft Library can find out more by contacting Richard Hunt on 07704 977322 or email richard.hunt@sportingmemoriesnetwork.com

Alternatively you can visit www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/sportingmemories