2019-06-01+Woman+and+Home

“EvEryonE’sa winnEr”

shaunDelaney,Headof

volunteeringatnCvoexplains,

“volunteeringis oneofthoserare

thingsin lifewhereeveryone’s

a winner– especiallyin helping

peoplefeelbetter.Thiseffect

is magnifiedwhenpeoplefeel

celebrated.That’swhyvolunteers’

weekis soimportant.it’sthatone

timeeveryyearon1-7Junewhere

wecanthankthemillionsofpeople

whogivetheirtimeforgoodcauses.

whata boost!andperhaps,people

will be inspired to get involved too.”

Wewantedtohavemusicaswellasfood,

sowesetupa stagein Judy’sfront

garden(anotherneighbour,andoneof

theorganisers)forlocalbandstoplay.

Lastyearweattractedaround 150 people.

Everyonecontributesin theirown

way.Wegetvariousthingsdonated

locally,forexamplewehavea school

in theareathatletsusborrowfurniture.

Thefirstyearwedidsomefundraising,

tocoverexpensesforchildren’sactivities

andalsoeventinsurance.Withthese

fundsandongoingdonations“inkind”,

wehaven’thadtoraiseanyfurther

moneyforthepastthreeyears.

I’vegottoknowmyneighboursso

muchbetter,andit reallydrivesmy

ownpersonalsenseof

communityspirit.Allthat

hardworkcreatesan

incrediblesenseof

achievementoncetheday

comes.Plus,it’sa lotoffun!

aliPerotto,57,an

actorfromDeptford

inLondon,helpsto

organiseashfest,an

annualstreetparty

firstheldinmemory

oftwoneighbourslostduringa tragic

housefirein2014.nowinitsfifth

year,ashfestbringstogetherfood,

communityandmusic for the whole

streettoenjoy.

Thedeathsoftwoofourneighbours

in 2014tooka terribletollonthestreet.

Thefirewasin thefamilyhomethey’d

livedin forover 40 years.Wewantedto

comeupwitha wayofcommemorating

them,whichis whyoneof

ourneighboursfirstput

a notearoundpeople’s

doorsaskingif anyofus

wouldbeinterestedin

participatingin TheBig

Lunchcommunitystreet

party,in theirhonour.

Followinga massivepositive

response,wehada meetingand,

inspiredbyTheBigLunch,decidedto

holda ministreetfestivalofourown.

Thatwasin 2015,andAshfesthas

beengoingstrongsincethen.

Wetryandkeepit onthesameday

asTheBigLunchbecauseit’seasierto

applyforpermitsfromthecouncil.Plus

therearelegalities,suchasclosingthe

road, and security and insurance.

“I’vegotto know

myneighbours

so much better”

GETinvoLvED

Therearesomanyrewarding

waystovolunteeryourtime.

Herearea fewinitiativestotry...

GoodGymCombiningexercise

withlocalcommunitywork,

GoodGymgivesvolunteersthe

chancetokeepfitwhilelendinga

hand.visitgoodgym.orgformore.

ageUKProvidingmuch-needed

supportforoldermembersoflocal

communities,ageUKhasa variety

ofvolunteeropportunitiesonoffer.

visitageuk.org.ukfordetails.

TheTrussellTrustsupportinga

networkoffoodbanksnationwide,

TheTrussellTrustis dedicated

tohelpingthoselivinginpoverty.

visittrusselltrust.orgtofindout

ways you could help. w&h

Judysays:“Iwas

bornin thestreetand

Ashfestis a lovelyway

tobringneighbours

together.I alsoloveour

celebrationbecause

it remindsmeofmyyouth,andthe

streetpartywehadfortheQueen’s

SilverJubileewhenmykidswerelittle!”

✢TheBigLunchtakesplaceon

1-2June2019.Formoreinformation,

visit edenprojectcommunities.com

The street party pro

Thecommunity

celebratesashfest

every year

worDs

AmIE-Jo LockE

PHoToGraPHs

mARTIN EBERLEN, mIchAEL mINNoTT

78 woman&home IT’S ALL ABouT you!