I was at a 21st birthday party yesterday, my daughters friend Sara; it was a lovely do- I knew it would be. I first met the family over 21 years ago, I say this with some certainty as we met at an antenatal class and we have been in touch intermittently yet consistently over the years. Neither mum and dad, Kathrin and Danesch are from Liverpool but settling here to bring up there family they have built up a strong network of friends. Their house has always acted as the focal point for many get to-gethers over the years, friendliness and calm being key factors here, as well as being an alcohol free venue.
During the party I was reacquainted with a young man called Carlo, we got to reflecting on the need for such friendly gathering and he told me that he was part of a group organising a street party the next day. It is affiliated to a national campaign called the Big Lunch, to bring together neighbours and help build communities. I heard that in Liverpool the take up of the scheme had been quite poor, only five across the whole city. He said many of those in his street getting involved were focusing on the queens 90th birthday as a theme for the day.
This started me reminiscing about the Silver jubilee of 1977 when at the age of 11 I remember well the planning for the party in our street(strictly speaking it was an ‘avenue’ what with me growing up in the aspirational suburb of Maghull) I knew the street well as I was constantly out there playing football, cricket, rounders etc. It was interesting to see the change in dynamic within the street in the run up to the event. People who till then had remained shadowy figures to my young mind came into my orbit as several meeting to organise the event occurred, I think one may have took place in our house. I seem to recall one resident, Mr Fish(I jest not) becoming a big player here. Previously his notoriety was in response to a complaint about a ball hitting and breaking a window pane on his garage door that cost a reduction my pocket money till the cost of the repair was repaid. One of the big concerns was what if was to rain? These anxieties grew to such a height that it was eventually decided to relocate the street party to an indoor venue half a mile from the street. I can’t help think that was a mistake and although the day passed off well enough, when I look at the photos of other jubilee events on line the back drop of the street seems a crucial element to the days success.
According to the Big lunches website about 7 million people got involved in events last year. Perhaps so but I would question the validity of such numbers based on the Liverpool response. Life has changed a lot since the seventies; the cars now own the streets, very few ball games get played and adult residents are generally working to pay the massively inflated house related bills so don’t spend as much time in the streets. The streets just don’t have the human traffic they once have, or indeed canine traffic. I used to walk to school and every day would pass Rover; He was a medium sized dog that used to sit resolutely outside of a house on Coronation Road(this is a true story) which belonged to a class mate of mine, Desmond Johnson. For years he was this character that stood to attention allowing every passer by who was so inclined to pat his little head. It was some years after meeting and getting to know him in this way that I saw this other side to Rover. Mr Johnson was the catalyst, suddenly this statuesque figure became another creature altogether, charging towards his master he began jumping up and duly receiving a smack on the head from a rolled up newspaper- I couldn’t believe it!
So to the need to transform our culture to a cohesive neighbourhood-can’t help thinking we need something a bit more radical than a one off day in a year. If you have any ideas please let me know-just get on the ‘dog and bone’ - I’m ‘all ears!’
During the party I was reacquainted with a young man called Carlo, we got to reflecting on the need for such friendly gathering and he told me that he was part of a group organising a street party the next day. It is affiliated to a national campaign called the Big Lunch, to bring together neighbours and help build communities. I heard that in Liverpool the take up of the scheme had been quite poor, only five across the whole city. He said many of those in his street getting involved were focusing on the queens 90th birthday as a theme for the day.
This started me reminiscing about the Silver jubilee of 1977 when at the age of 11 I remember well the planning for the party in our street(strictly speaking it was an ‘avenue’ what with me growing up in the aspirational suburb of Maghull) I knew the street well as I was constantly out there playing football, cricket, rounders etc. It was interesting to see the change in dynamic within the street in the run up to the event. People who till then had remained shadowy figures to my young mind came into my orbit as several meeting to organise the event occurred, I think one may have took place in our house. I seem to recall one resident, Mr Fish(I jest not) becoming a big player here. Previously his notoriety was in response to a complaint about a ball hitting and breaking a window pane on his garage door that cost a reduction my pocket money till the cost of the repair was repaid. One of the big concerns was what if was to rain? These anxieties grew to such a height that it was eventually decided to relocate the street party to an indoor venue half a mile from the street. I can’t help think that was a mistake and although the day passed off well enough, when I look at the photos of other jubilee events on line the back drop of the street seems a crucial element to the days success.
According to the Big lunches website about 7 million people got involved in events last year. Perhaps so but I would question the validity of such numbers based on the Liverpool response. Life has changed a lot since the seventies; the cars now own the streets, very few ball games get played and adult residents are generally working to pay the massively inflated house related bills so don’t spend as much time in the streets. The streets just don’t have the human traffic they once have, or indeed canine traffic. I used to walk to school and every day would pass Rover; He was a medium sized dog that used to sit resolutely outside of a house on Coronation Road(this is a true story) which belonged to a class mate of mine, Desmond Johnson. For years he was this character that stood to attention allowing every passer by who was so inclined to pat his little head. It was some years after meeting and getting to know him in this way that I saw this other side to Rover. Mr Johnson was the catalyst, suddenly this statuesque figure became another creature altogether, charging towards his master he began jumping up and duly receiving a smack on the head from a rolled up newspaper- I couldn’t believe it!
So to the need to transform our culture to a cohesive neighbourhood-can’t help thinking we need something a bit more radical than a one off day in a year. If you have any ideas please let me know-just get on the ‘dog and bone’ - I’m ‘all ears!’