Portsea community turns out in ‘marvellous’ numbers for action group’s Platinum Jubilee street party
EVEN high winds could not stop the Portsea community from celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a residents’ street party.
Community organisation Portsea Action Group moved the fun from St George’s Square inside Harbour Church, Portsmouth, to save the bunting, flags, and paper crowns from flying away.
Organisers Brenda Tregarthen, group chair, and Debbie Edwards, secretary, are delighted with the event’s success.
Brenda said: 'These are all residents from the surrounding area, and all the funding has been raised through local people.
'Since Christmas, we've been raising money for the event, and we managed to raise about £1,500.
'We're catering for 250 people, and we're going to toast the Queen.
'We've been doing workshops for the table decorations, and we've done flags and cups.'
Kicking off at 2pm with a toast to the Queen, the free event included a performance from a live band as well as children’s games and afternoon tea.
Debbie said: 'The Beth Oliver band with Bivol Trust special needs group will be performing a song for the Queen.
'It's very important to our local community to have an event like this.'
Brenda added: 'It's brought us all together - we're one big happy family.
'It's like we all want to be together. We've got a real mixture, children young and our oldest person is 96.'
June Hocking, a volunteer with the group, said that today’s event has been ‘fantastic’.
She added: ‘We’re so pleased with it, the turnout is marvellous.
‘This is what we call a community.
‘I’m so grateful they’ve all turned up.’
Local resident Ivor Mulholland attended the event with three generations of his family - 15 people in total.
After helping out by putting flag bunting up inside the church, Ivor told The News: ‘I think it’s fantastic, what Debbie and Brenda have done. It’s unbelievable.
‘I’m here with 15 members of our family - all born in Portsea. I’ve been 68 years in Portsea.
‘I love the Queen. Hopefully she gets better soon.
‘She’s the person that holds that family together.’
Katherine Message, curate at Harbour Church, said: ‘We’re very pleased to see people, we’re just happy to host.
‘This is a hub for everyone, and it’s nice to see people having a good time.’