Mothers' meetings still going strong - after almost 60 years!

Bockings Elm Ladies' Group was launched in Clacton back in 1959.

Sally Mills is the last of the founders to still attend, along with sister Sylvia Harrison, daughter Hayley Wheeler and granddaughter Hannah, who is the group's youngest member.

Sylvia said: "I joined when I was 21 and I'm 70 now.

"My sister Sally was one of the original members and is the longest serving and I've been here the second longest.

Current members at the closing supper before this year’s summer break

"It was started by mums who got talking outside what was London Road School and decided to have an evening together at people's houses so they could have a good chat."

There were a dozen members to begin with but numbers soon started to soar as word of the group spread.

Sylvia said: "It got a bit too big to be held in someone's living room so they decided to spread their wings and do it properly by hiring Bockings Elm hall, and it just grew from there.

"By the Seventies and Eighties we had more than 60 members and a waiting list.

"Raising money for Clacton charities became our main aim. We held Valentine's Day and Halloween dances which used to raise about £500.

The committee dinner in 1989 with Sylvia Harrison sixth from the right and sister Sally Mills, who is the last founding member still with the group, fifth from the left

"The committee would go on the day of the dance and spend all morning and afternoon preparing 250 salads or whatever we were having, and then by the evening we were too tired to dance!

"We had a lot of jumble sales, outings and charity dances two or three times a year. We donated money to Clacton hospital to buy six nebulisers, we then went on to help other local charities and individuals.

"We have raised thousands of pounds over the years. We have given money to the air ambulance and bought someone a wheelchair.

"We also used to go to shows in London and at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, and we've been to see TV shows being made such as Wogan and Father Dear Father.

Members at the group's 1991 birthday party

"The children of mums were given Christmas parties, picnics and outings. Now a lot of those children are mums and even grandmothers."

"As the years went on and we all got a bit older it became too much to keep those activities going, but we have some wonderful memories."

The committee worked so hard preparing food for charity events they were too tired to hit the dance floor later

This summer the group switched to the new Albert Edward Community Hall after 58 years at its old base.

Sylvia said: "We still carry on once a fortnight on a Monday evening with either a speaker or a social evening. We have a birthday and Christmas party, a yearly coach mystery tour and have bingo nights and beetle drives.

"Unfortunately we have lost a lot of members. We are down to about 25 and can't hold dances because most of us are too old.

"My niece Hannah is 21 and our youngest member and the oldest is Maud Scace who is almost 90 so we have a varied age group – and we are still going strong."