A literacy group and a neighbourhood scheme has been awarded the King's Award.

Let’s Talk Reading (LTR), a literacy charity set up in Ipswich in 2015/16 has been honoured with the award.

LTR’s goal is to help everyone in Ipswich to read.

They run weekly parents and babies’ groups Let’s Talk Babies in Chantry, Whitehouse, Whitton, and Gainsborough, encouraging parents to read and sing with their babies.

Happy Babies facilitator at a Let’s Talk Babies session. Happy Babies facilitator at a Let’s Talk Babies session. (Image: Let's Talk Reading  ) They also visit 34 nurseries and 30 schools across the town to give story time readings and give pupils free books.

John Helleur, chair of the charity, said “It is a great honour to receive this award. Not only does it indicate recognition at national level for our work, but, as the nominations had to be sponsored locally and reviewed at county level, it also shows strong local support for our approach. This is recognition for our brilliant, dedicated and indefatigable team of volunteers.” 

Operating from the Eastern Angles Centre in Gatacre Road, LTR was formed by local school governor with the support of Krystal Vittles (BEM) from Suffolk Libraries, Professor Erica Jocelyn from the University of Suffolk and former Ipswich mayor and councillor Roger Fern who died in 2021.

Tattingstone Good Neighbours Scheme (TGNS) have also received The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Formed in 2013 the group aims to help residents retain their independence and remain socially connected.

They run a weekly drop-in coffee morning to promote social contact; a telephone helpline through which village residents can call for help with light household tasks and a car service enabling those without their own transport can book lifts for medical appointments, shopping and leisure activities.

The group also publishes a “Welcome to Tattingstone” guide to the village and accessible services which they deliver to new residents.