Meet the South Tyneside community who hold fancy dress street parties after being brought together during the Covid-19 pandemic

When the coronavirus lockdown hit on March 23, 2020, residents on Roundhill and Fieldway in Hedworth set up a Facebook group to support each other.

And neighbours say it managed to bring everyone on the street together and create a community spirit that still lasts, even as restrictions have been lifted.

They hold monthly fancy dress themed street parties, movie nights and even sports days for everyone to join in with.

Lynne Nelson, who is one of the organisers, has told the Gazette how it all started as plans for future events and days out are taking shape.

The 64-year-old said: “As lockdown started easing last year, we got together to put on a fireworks display for all the kids on the street after the tough time that they had.

"Everyone had such a good time that the neighbours wanted to do a get together in the street once a month so we decided to do a different fancy dress theme and it has just gone from there.

"Now we are planning months in advance for parties and even looking to have a day out with all the kids next year."

Lynne also highlighted that if it wasn’t for the Covid-19 pandemic, the community spirit on the street probably wouldn’t be what it is now.

She added: “I’m just so shocked at it all, it really is just unbelievable – we are such a small street and I’m happy that it has taken off the way it has.

"It has brought our community together and it is not just even the monthly parties – we are often out on a Sunday morning having a cuppa and a catch up with each other.

"We’ve gone from not really knowing each other to now knowing everyone by their first names and about their lives, we’re such a small and enclosed street which makes it even better.

"I don’t think that it would have happened if it had not been for the Covid pandemic, it is nice that something positive has come out of it all.”

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