Estate prepares for summer tea party (From The Oxford Times)

Estate prepares for summer tea party

7:00am Saturday 30th June 2012 in News By Rhianne Pope

Fire juggler Manesh Patel practises for the party, watched by pupils at Rose Hill Primary School

FIRE jugglers, stilt walkers and a feast of traditional British food will feature at the latest in a series of Lottery-funded projects in Rose Hill.

The Summer Garden Party is at Rose Hill Primary School and The Oval next Saturday.

It is the third cultural food event funded by the Lottery as part of a five-year project bringing together diverse communities on the estate.

Rose Hill community worker Fran Gardner said: “At previous events we have had food from one of the Rose Hill ethnic communities but this time we decided to use tradional British food, inviting all of the other communities to come along.

“As part of the conditions of the Lottery funding we have to have four large events a year around the idea of cultural food.

“So this time we wanted to turn it completely on its head, having a good old British tea party.”

The estate was given £361,714 by the Big Lottery Fund in June 2011 to fund projects over five years.

It was given to Oxford Citizens’ Housing Association (OCHA) and funds a volunteer training programme, Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, estate paper Rose Hill News and the cultural food programme.

A health initiative was also funded which sees an NHS health bus visit the estate – where there are no GP surgeries – each month.

Mrs Gardner said bringing neighbours together was especially important since the construction of 254 homes earlier this year.

She said: “Rose Hill is currently a fantastic and busy place to be.

“Using food and music is a fantastic way to bring a quite diverse community together.

“People talk and socialise and when you put music into the equation, it transcends any other barriers.”

In addition to the food, visitors will enjoy street dancing, music from the Magdalen Swing Band and the newly-funded Rose Hill Community Singing Group.

The party runs from 2pm at the school. Entry is 50p per person.