Youth club love still strong 60 years on (From The Oxford Times)

Youth club love still strong 60 years on

12:00pm Saturday 9th June 2012 in News

SIXTY years ago two teenagers fell in love at a youth club.

They went on cycling dates and watched Betty Grable and Doris Day films together.

Six decades later the Witney couple are celebrating their diamond wedding.

June and John Hawkins, 80 and 83, celebrated the milestone with a meal with their family at Witney Lakes Resort on Thursday.

Mrs Hawkins, nee Cobeney, said: “We met at a youth club in London when John was 18 and I was 15. We fell desperately in love and we got engaged when I was 17.

“I knew he was the one and he knew I was the one.”

After Mr Hawkins returned from national service with the Army the couple married in London.

Mr Hawkins became a master builder, working predominately on new homes, and Mrs Hawkins worked as a dressmaker.

They have two sons, Martin, 54, and Tony, 52, and one granddaughter, Catherine, 12.

Mrs Hawkins said: “We have had our ups and downs but we got through them. It has been lovely really and we are still very much in love.”

She put the success of their relationship down to give and take, adding: “Whatever John wants to do I do and whatever I want to do John does.”

To celebrate the 60 years, the Queen – who celebrated her own diamond anniversary this week – sent the couple a card of congratulations.

Mr and Mrs Hawkins moved to Deer Park in Witney four years ago to be closer to their son, Martin.