A SELFLESS community champion who supports vulnerable residents has praised the efforts of a town which helped to make young people have a special occasion to remember.

Les Nicoll, who lives in Dovercourt, orchestrated the collection of more than 200 prom dresses and suits to be available free of charge to young people in the town.

From here, having heard about the event, the community went above and beyond to play its part in ensuring young people can enjoy their special day.

Prom dresses were donated from across the country, with 100 coming from Harwich and Dovercourt alone, while owners of fancy cars offered to drive students to their prom so they could arrive in style.

Read more:

Volunteer hairdressers, beauticians and nail artists also offered to go together to create a pop-up shop so everyone can look great, for free, on the big day.

Mr Nicoll, who set up the North Essex Support Team, said he didn’t ask for any of this, but people just wanted to get involved.

“People saw the event and saw the chance to do something for the young people in their community,” he said.

Halstead Gazette:

“I spent a whole week worrying no-one would come, but it was just amazing how many did and to see the smiles on young people’s faces and their parents’ was fantastic.”

Alongside her daughter, Sally Crouch, another volunteer, Dawn Dean-Foale, took her sewing machine along to the Park Pavilion, Barrack Lane, Harwich, to help tailor the fancy outfits to their new wearer’s needs.

All in all, more than 50 dresses were taken and about 15 suits during the event.

“One young girl I saw having her dress customized was so pleased, she felt like a princess – it was beautiful,” Mr Nicoll added.

“For me, to do something like this was a no brainer, but I’m just a small cog in a big wheel. There are so many fantastic people willing to help.”