‘THE STREETS TRULY COME ALIVE’
Allyson Williams MBE (above), 76, from west London, has been involved with Notting Hill Carnival for 50 years, most recently on its board of trustees. She has two adult children, Symone and Kevin, and two grandchildren, Layne, 20, and Kayden, 15.
Notting Hill Carnival is a feast of sights, sounds and smells, and it’s amazing to see two million people flocking to the streets. The ornate costumes feature every colour of the rainbow and can be many metres in height, often taking months to make. Walking around, there’s an explosion of music, dancing and wonderful aromas from over 300 food stalls, including authentic African, Caribbean and South American dishes.
I arrived in the UK from Trinidad in 1969. After training as a nurse and midwife, I met my late husband, Vernon, in 1974. He was a founding member of
