The time to bring out the union jacks when Her Majesty's official birthday arrived last weekend. Many parties were held all over the country at the weekend to honour the nation's longest reigning monarch.
Our party to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday took place on the streets of Newbury Park last Sunday where people of all nationalities, cast and creed, joined forces and orgainsed a party on our roads.
People living in the locality mingled together and enjoyed a harmonious and friendly event which was organised by the locals for the locals. People contributed in cash and kind to make this a worthwhile event.
Armed with, what else but Gujarati dhokla and other sweets and savouries, we joined our neighbours. This was a jovial and fun event where we exchanged civilities with our neighbours while feeding our faces with a variety of snacks and my grand children played with their peers by jumping on a bouncing castle which was placed strategically in the middle of the roads which were closed to the traffic. This was a happy occasion when the hostilities which normally exists between people of different races were nowhere to be seen.
The Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations brought people out of their cocoons and they mingled happily with one another. One wonders why we cannot have these parties often. We are planning a repeat performance when the Queen turns 100!
Our heartiest congratulations to you ma’am!
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
