A GUIDED walk will form part of the Grimsby celebrations for Civic Societies Week.

Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society is leading the free walk which sets off from Great Grimsby Central Library at 10am on Sunday.

Civic Societies week aims to raise the profile of the Civic Society movement across the Yorkshire and Humber region, celebrating the important work that societies do in providing a community voice on development and regeneration matters.

Heritage committee chairman Ernie Brown said: "The walk begins beneath the seal of Grim and Havelok on the library wall and follows the development of Great Grimsby through the ages."

Ernie Brown celebrates Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society receiving £5,800 for the Great Grimsby Heritage Trail. He is pictured by the Ross Tiger in Grimsby.

The guided walk, which can take up to two hours – depending on how many questions Ernie is asked – takes in a variety of the town's landmarks and more than 1,000 years of Grimsby's history.

However Ernie said his favourite area of the walk was The Gory Trail, around St James' Square.

He said: "The whole walk is great fun and very interesting. It should be a fantastic – and free – day out and a great way to learn more about your home town."

Societies from across Yorkshire and the Humber will be taking part in the week-long event by hosting their own activities, putting on displays and events and running campaigns.

Civic Societies are independent, voluntary organisations made up of people who care passionately about their surroundings and who want to change them for the better.

They actively promote high standards of planning, architecture, regeneration and sustainability.

Civic Societies Week is being masterminded by the Yorkshire and Humber Association of Civic Societies, YHACS, which was established in 1999 to support the movement.

Kevin Trickett, project manager for Civic Societies Week, said: "This is a perfect opportunity for Civic Societies within the region to showcase their work and activities to the wider community, and help drum up support.

"Hopefully, it will also see a boost to their membership numbers."

Membership of a Civic Society is open to all.

To find out more, call Ernie Brown on 07760 168698 or email ern.brown@btinternet.com