We ARE (almost) there, everyone . . .

This image is from a chance encounter in Google. Click on the blog-post title above to go to Edmonton in 1919; they had their party to commemorate the end of WW I.

OUR HARD WORK HAS PAID OFF !!

We've had the OK from Islington Council for the street closure. Children and older people will be able to stroll across the (usually quite busy side-) road without fear of being run-over, on the day.

We've sent out the 'action list' to about ten of us organising the event.

We're not sure if we actually need insurance (public liability) as we're not organising any 'high-risk' activities, nor are we happy with the £ 250 excess we've been quoted.

We've got one more planning meeting, and then WHOOSH - it will be upon us.

We've been told there's a bit of money coming to us from somewhere deep in the bowels of the Council.

We've been told there's money available from a charity to subsidise childrens' play equipment.

What more could we want ?

Half-way there . . .

Well, we've had our second planning meeting, we've put the second leaflet through 84 front doors, and now we're waiting for objections to come back re :- the proposed road closure. Then we apply to the local Council for the Road Closure, and eight weeks later . . .

We've also asked everyone in the road for their comments on how we're arranging this street party, and we do want everyone to feel that it's theirs as much as ours. The shopkeepers at Blackstock Road want, for example, access to the mews during the day, so that will affect how much of the road we can ask to close off . .

About ten of us are asking people for bunting, for trestle tables, we've got a team of musicians booked, a stereo will appear on the day, competitions and games are in the offing, we may ask local dignitaries to come along, etcetera

But, really as there's not been one for years and many of our fellow residents are new, it's a chance to 'natter with your neighbours'.

Click on the blog post title above and you go to a childrens' street party play organiser in London. Our next planning meeting is on Thursday 20 May.

The Start of Organising . . .

Well, today's the day I e-mail everyone who's written in, and suggest that we get together next week, for a chin-wag around a cup of coffee. Too exciting, as we'll all have different ideas and skills. Hopefully this will lead to a second round of more purposeful leafleting to everyone on our road, and a 'virtuous circle' of a stronger commitment from the other 80 residents . . . I have heard people talking about the street party as I've gone about my business locally . . .

The e-link you go to, by clicking on the post title, is for a BBC Radio 2 street party initiative from last August . . .

Time Out magazine has a report about FUNDING for London street parties

I've delivered the initial flyer to 75 front doors this morning. There's 10 A-3 posters in the shops, and stuck on a wall at the top f the road.
Islington Council has e-mailed to me their TWELVE-PAGE 'Street Party Information and Application Pack.pdf', all about what to do when you want to organise, so we're well on the way.
I'm going to sit back and wait for the contacts to roll in . . .

BTW, click on the post title for a Time Out article on street party funding . . .

Street Party in July 2010 ?

Why don't we have a street party for our road this summer ? We had a lovely one in 1998, so it is certainly time for another !!

Click on the post title to go to my blog-site . . .