A church which has just celebrated its 40th anniversary has been hailed a “driving force” in bringing people together to build a stronger and safer community.

A weekend packed with events has marked Southgate Church, based at Southgate Community Centre in Bury St Edmunds, reaching its 40th year.

Many people turned out on Sunday for Southgate’s ‘Big Birthday Party’, to enjoy stalls, games, a bouncy castle, balloon sculpture, face painting, a mini disco, cake and refreshments.

The weekend also included a church service with a difference earlier on Sunday, and around 120 people attended a dinner on Saturday night, including councillor Sarah Stamp. She said: “Southgate Church is an excellent example of a church being a driving force in bringing people together to build a stronger and safer community.”

The celebrations also included activities, such as needlework and poetry, with help from evangelist Chris Duffett. Southgate Church minister Peter Gibson said: “It was a great weekend and it was so lovely to see so many people of all ages spending some time with us and having loads of fun.”