Health float is just the tonic

CHRONICLE reader Linda Clements has told how she was one of the youth club group enjoying a day out on the Westlands Youth Club float we featured on March 12.

But Linda of Ongar Road West, Writtle says the float, pictured at Westlands School, was 1965 not 1963 as we said.

"It was called the Westlands Health Service. In those days we were all wearing stockings.

"We think it's 1965 because I was only 12 in 1963 and my friends and I wouldn't have been allowed out."

Linda, who was formerly Cousins, even has her own photograph of the float taken in Beeches Road where the procession started and is still in touch with some of the people who accompanied her on that chilly July day.

The crew on the float are (left to right) Linda, Carole Wright, Christina Hards, Sheila Styles, Marion Clements, Richard Crozier, Mr Lawford at the back, Rob Campion in a mask, the next two are not known and at the end with a head bandage is Mervyn Hasler.

Linda says she cannot recall the name of the standing teenager in the mask but next to him on the far right is Barry Stock.

Linda, now married with two children and a post officer worker at Writtle, said: "I can remember that two years earlier my friend and I had ponies and long black wigs and went as bareback riders in the carnival."

If anyone can shed any light on the others in the picture please contact the Chronicle newsdesk on 01245 603360 or email newsdesk@essexchronicle.co.uk