So here are some Jubilee Stats: not only does Bristol stand out as the Street Party Capital outside London ( cheer) , but according to my rough calculations, around 60% of all Bristol's street parties were here in Bristol North West ( more cheers!)
Fantastic! But it made the challenge of getting round as many as possible all the more daunting. I didn't manage to visit every street party going on over the weekend, but I got to a fair old few...
Each party was beautifully different, and upliftingly the same - every street did it in their own way, with their own special highlights - be it a superb fancy dress outfit ( well done, Millie from Devonshire's!) an empire of Gazebos ( you know who you are!) or welly-wanging and medals ( I still think its a bit too risky for an MP to be flinging hard rubber wellingtons about in the vicinity of her constituents' small children) ; but the same in that every street told me how it had brought the community together; how people had met and formed a rapport with neighbours they had lived along side for years, but never spoken to..
... how taking traffic of the road made the street seem like a completely different space, and how good it was for all generations to intermingle.
At times the rain did it's best to dampen spirits, but in true British style, the parties carried on - particular credit to Wessex Avenue, who manage a superb party in the middle of what can only be described as a small river running down the hill, and a gale battering the small gatherings of community-gazebos, huddled in the middle of the street!
I don't think I've ever seen our national flag waved so proudly, or 'Jerusalem' and 'Land of Hope and Glory' sung with such gusto - and it was great to see our nation so proud of itself, and so patriotic.
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