A south Essex cultural heritage programme has celebrated its biggest year on record and announced a number of exciting events for 2024. 

The Orchard cultural heritage programme was organised by the Essex cultural diversity.

It developed to become an annual programme offering opportunities for creatives, local charities, community groups, town and parish councils to allow residents to celebrate the Rochford district. 

The programme ended on the December 3 with plans to start the programme up again with a fayre on September 28 2024

A spokesman for Orchard said: "Thank you to all our creatives, partners, participants, volunteers and audiences.

"2023 has been a good year for the district culturally with many new initiatives getting going including markets and creative events, let’s keep it all going in 2024.

"If you want to speak to us about next year, or have ideas you would like to see happen – then get in touch, arts, literature, music, film, local heritage, environment, food and drink, we are interested in all of it.

"A big thank you to our funders – Arts Council England and UK Shared Prosperity Fund, through Rochford District Council."