Midsummer Night Picnic

Hampstead Heath

4pm until late, Saturday 21 June

Picnickers on the grass, alas


Dead Goats Society


The boys of summer

Hats off to the score of you who braved threatening weather to picnic on the grassy knoll, including gregarious Greg, who brought what appeared at first to be a nostalgic rifle-case, but which actually contained Northumbrian bagpipes.

The weather was so discouraging I had taken a folding chair and a glass of wine up to the knoll only to redirect to our sitting-room anyone brave enough to venture out. But by 5 the sun peeped and the small party beneath the trees remembered it was ever thus at midsummer.

Eventually the house-bound joined us and we all picnicked until it was well dark before falling back to the sitting-room. I believe I threw the last of you out after midnight.

Clara sent pictures to post here.

News of our next event here soon. Email me if you want a heads-up note.

SJT

Street party

There has been some talk of once again holding a street party in South Hill Park. If you are interested but cannot come to the picnic, please get in touch: email sjt@hillsiders.org.uk or drop us a note at Nº81.

First event

We met upstairs at The Magdala on 22 April. Guy Herbert, general secretary of the national NO2ID campaign spoke to us about “Life in the Database State”.

Future events

Here are some ideas. Please give us yours.

• Hampstead and the new weather What to expect as our climate changes and how to adapt. Tie the roof down? Grow more veg? Host refugees from Plumstead?
• Poems party Everyone knows a poem that touches, inspires or amuses. Let’s hear ’em.
• The Heath & Hampstead Society What it does for us, whether and how to support it.
• Renewing democracy Do we want to govern ourselves – or is it too much bother? What would we like to control in our own street?

About us

Hillsiders aspires to be a local forum in which we meet as neighbours and citizens.

Contact us

Email sjt@hillsiders.org.uk or drop a note to Stephen Taylor at Nº81.