As you may know, I’m Northampton born and bred and proud of it too. I’ve spent the greater part of my life living in the town but moved away for a few years in 2005. Three years ago I moved back to the town of my birth and did so initially by living in a flat.
I’d not lived in one before and found that the experience of having neighbours there was very different to that of living in a street of houses. Strangely, although a couple of them became friends, I hardly saw my neighbours in the block where I lived, pleasant enough though I found everyone to be. I think the reason for that is that we all had very different working hours, so were rarely around to see each other. The fact that the only place we did see each other was on a communal staircase as we headed to and from our front doors didn’t exactly help.
GET TO KNOW YOU DRINKS
When I moved into my current home at the end of last year I invited all my new neighbours round for a “get to know you” drink and to introduce myself.
During the evening the subject of having a street party came up in conversation. As it turned out street parties had taken place before and had developed into something of a tradition over a number of years, but had then fallen off the calendar for a variety of reasons.
The suggestion was made that with the arrival of summer this year we should start having a street party again – and with unanimous approval the plans were made.
A few days ago we had the party. We moved all the cars off the road where we normally park, put tables and chairs in their place and all brought food and drink contributions for everyone to share. People did what they could for the general good with cooks baking, chefs barbecuing and everyone helping to set up and clear up.
It was great fun and over the greater part of the day everyone came along to eat, drink and chat. The party went so well and for so long that by the time we came to clear up we had to do it using the illumination of car headlights – and mercifully it not only stayed dry but warm and sunny too.
FEELING PART OF COLLECTIVE
Having events like the party help to cement the feeling of being included in a community – it’s something I was keen to establish for myself when I moved into my new home. We are, of course, all individuals but it is, I think, one of our most basic needs as human beings to want to feel part of something collective.
I have known the sense of isolation that comes from NOT being part of a recognised group or team and I am sure that most people can feel the difference, either at home or in working life. It is an entirely personal and human thing – one person’s act of welcoming another person into a circle of peers can be such an enabling thing.
We are emotional creatures and in using the term “community” you could easily read the word “family” instead.
I am now the newest family member in the place where I live and I am the fortunate enough to have, without exception, fabulous neighbourhood relatives.
CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITIES
The extension to all this is what goes on beyond the immediacy of where we live. In a way we’re already neighbours, so aren’t we all part of a bigger family?
If so, maybe we should be celebrating it in some way.