A traditional street party in Smethwick today, marks VE day which we celebrated recently. It had food, games, music, bunting , and of course a bit of rain too.
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00:00So we've got Parbinder Kaur. Hello Parbinder.
00:03Hi.
00:04So you're a local councillor?
00:05Yes indeed I am.
00:06And this is your street?
00:07Yes it is.
00:08Cool. So how's it been going then?
00:10I mean the rain's kind of doing its best to get in the way isn't it?
00:14It is but the spirit of the residents and the dignitaries
00:18we're still going ahead with the party and everybody's enjoying it.
00:21Do you think this could become like the start of an annual street party?
00:25I think, well we've had, this is our third party.
00:27Oh is it?
00:28Yeah we had the Jubilee and the King's Coronation and the Queen.
00:33And my colleague Jenny she goes councillor.
00:36Is this Jenny here then?
00:37Hello Jenny.
00:38The street wants a V-Day party because we're going to get everybody together.
00:43Hence the reason we're doing it on the 8th of June.
00:47So there's a good, I'm gathering there's a good sense of community in this street then?
00:51Oh yeah. Definitely, definitely.
00:53Yeah good, I can have it in here.
00:55The residents, they donated to Jenny.
00:59The residents went round collecting money because obviously I can't do that.
01:02Yeah.
01:03I contacted Sandwa Council, the event team and they arranged the clothes of the road.
01:08Yeah.
01:09And obviously I had to pay for the indemnity insurance but yeah everything's done to the T.
01:14Cool.
01:15And the sun's trying to come through so I think you might have a good few hours of fun ahead.
01:19Hopefully.
01:20Yeah.
01:21We've got some music and there's a house dressed up in the 1940s.
01:25Go and visit that house as well.
01:27We'll check that out.
01:28Yeah, thank you.
01:29Cheers.
01:30And we've got the leader coming as well and Simon Foster soon.
01:32Nice one.
01:33How you doing lads?
01:34What's your names?
01:35Yeah.
01:36Cool.
01:37So Jack you're from Aldershot originally, now in Staines.
01:39But you're a local lad, Sandwa lad.
01:40Yeah.
01:41West Brom.
01:42Yeah.
01:43Cool.
01:44So this isn't like a costume you've hired, you're proper bona fide genuine sailors yeah?
01:48Yeah.
01:49Where you based at?
01:50I'm Collingwood.
01:51Oh yeah.
01:52And was it something you always wanted to do like ever since you was a, yeah?
01:55Yeah.
01:56Cool.
01:57Is it, you know, is it turning out to be what you wanted and hoped for?
02:00Yeah.
02:01Yeah.
02:02So when are you back at base then?
02:04I've gone back today.
02:05Do ya?
02:06You've got to travel back today?
02:07Oh.
02:08So no beer or...
02:10Yeah.
02:11So you're just on weekend leave.
02:13And how do you find kind of that being away from home for so long that, you know, is
02:18it?
02:19It's alright.
02:20Yeah.
02:21You settle that?
02:22Yeah, I've got a family.
02:23I don't know.
02:24Yeah.
02:25I suppose it's you.
02:26Yeah.
02:27You're a second family.
02:28Yeah, yeah.
02:29So you've just come down today to support.
02:30You've brought the weather down, ain't ya?
02:31From the coast.
02:32Yeah.
02:33But you sailors, you're hardcore.
02:34You can handle this.
02:35Well thanks lads and awesome for you to join during the street party today.
02:39Thank you for your service.
02:41So we've got Pete the dog who's the star of the show but I guess we should also speak
02:44today, Veeley.
02:45Hello sir, how are ya?
02:46We're fine mate, thank you.
02:47Oh good man.
02:48And we've got with ya our MP.
02:49Yeah.
02:50Introduce yourself.
02:51So I'm going to Joe's to member of parliament for snowing.
02:53Cool.
02:54So British weather, innit?
02:56I mean it's doing its best to be, you know.
02:58But people are still hanging about.
03:00Hopefully the sun will come back out a little bit later.
03:03Nice to be part of it though, innit Dave?
03:05It's absolutely wonderful mate, you know.
03:07I mean a Vee party, 80 years and one month, a bit late.
03:11But hey, I tell you what, we should continue, continue for you celebrating, you know, the
03:16end of the war.
03:17Yeah.
03:18Yeah, it's brilliant that so many people have turned out and our MP's turned up.
03:22Two fantastic young sailors, so what can we say?
03:25Yeah, that's an extra little treat that, innit?
03:27The sailors coming along.
03:28Yeah, definitely.
03:29And MP, it's nice that community spirit, isn't it really?
03:32To try and bring, you know, bring people together.
03:34Because we've all got that thing where we want an excuse to go and chat to the stranger
03:37who lives down the road half the time.
03:39But we don't want to appear like, you know, sometimes it's frowned upon, isn't it?
03:43So, a street party.
03:44Perfect.
03:45Yeah, that's what it's about.
03:46And that's what it was always about.
03:47Yeah.
03:48It's, you know, very often people can be strangers when they even live next door to each other.
03:52True too.
03:53And what this does, it brings people out.
03:54There's a real community spirit here today.
03:56We've got people from all different backgrounds, all different ages.
03:59People dressed up in a club up on the time and stuff.
04:02And it's great, fantastic.
04:04And there's food.
04:05And food is always a great way to bring people together.
04:07Yeah, that's it.
04:08Break bread together, that's what they say, innit?
04:10Absolutely, yeah.
04:11Well, thank you, gents.
04:12Cool.
04:13Cheers, lads.
04:14And you, sir, in the colourful suit.
04:16What's your name, sir?
04:18Waightailer.
04:19Cool.
04:20Waightailer.
04:21I mean, let's just get the gear up.
04:22Fantastic, mate.
04:23Fantastic attire.
04:24Straight off the cover of Samwell Vogue.
04:27And you just, the sun's trying to break through, innit?
04:30So what are we doing?
04:31Are we having another go?
04:32I can see the food coming back out on the tables.
04:33Yeah, we are trying to have a go.
04:35Like we did in the VE day, originally.
04:39Yeah, yeah.
04:41Make the most of the good weather once it breaks.
04:42Cool.
04:43Nothing will stop us.
04:44Good stuff.
04:45Well, we won't get in the way of your setting up again, sir.
04:47So we'll let you carry on your good work.
04:48Cheers, buddy.
04:49Cheers.
04:50Cheers.
04:51Cheers.
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04:53Cheers.
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05:00Cheers.
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05:15Cheers.
05:16Cheers.
05:17Cheers.
05:18Fantastic decorated house here, and it belongs to you too!
05:24How you doing, what's your names guys?
05:26Guy and Lorraine.
05:27Guy and Lorraine, well we've got blackout later tonight, we can see on the sign there.
05:31And you're going to be grilling up some burgers at some point?
05:34I'll do some burgers and some hot dogs.
05:36I've come too early, haven't I?
05:38We'll stick around for a little bit, we'll see what we can picture of it.
05:42So how long have you guys lived in the street?
05:4438 years.
05:45Oh yeah?
05:46So I'm getting the sense there's quite a nice community feeling this street.
05:49It's wonderful.
05:50Everybody helps everybody and everybody, you know, comes together.
05:54That was great.
05:55And where have you got your sandbags from? I'm curious.
05:58The Ministry.
06:00Somewhere there's a building site manager checking his stock going, where's my bags?
06:05Ministry of Defence, of course it is, of course it is.
06:07We'll let you carry on prepping for the barbecue.
06:10Cheers guys.
06:11Bye.