We have just had a really lovely event – our first ‘do-it-yourself street party’ for Tawney Street, Stone Street and around.

Earlier in the year I met the Baptist Minister, James Grote, from Cowley. He explained how easy it is to organise street parties so I decided this was something I could organise. We are a mixture of council houses and privately owned homes with a wonderful range of people living in them.

On the day, June 4, it was dry and sometimes even sunny. We were so very lucky compared to the day before.

People were asked to bring their tables and chairs and then go back for the food to share and all join up at 3pm. About six families came at first and set up in the middle of the street. Then others looked out to see if something was happening, then shot off to buy some food and drinks to join us. Soon the place was buzzing with younger children playing.

Because two South Asian families, with great generosity, brought really large bowls of samosas, onion bhajis and Thai chicken wings and rice, all the others had to get up and mingle to get their portions of this delicious Asian food.

This encouraged people to talk and everyone to share their food.

Soon an amazing atmosphere developed with many people, who recognised each other but had never spoken before, chatting away.

The young people joined in on the periphery playing badminton and the smaller ones played bat and ball on a string. It felt great to have the freedom of the closed street to play in. The driver of very large lorry was put out by the road closure and was not able to deliver a load, but it turned out he was a day early.

Although it was not really a Jubilee party as such, towards the end we had three cheers for the Queen. After so much enjoyment, two of the men are planning to organise another party next year, when I hope more people can come along to enjoy a real community event. Whoopee.

We were so grateful that the Queen’s Jubilee encouraged us to try this. It really is an easy thing to do.

SARAH LASENBY, Tawney Street, Oxford