Residents brighten up street with Easter displays over bank holiday weekend

With the sun shining on the district over the bank holiday weekend, one tight-knit St Albans community took to making their road that little bit brighter by putting on an array of Easter displays for passers by.

Residents of Charmouth Road and Charmouth Court have always shared a bond, which has further grown under coronavirus restrictions over the last 12 months.

The 170 households that line the streets - with residents ranging from new-borns to centenarians - have been known to put on numerous street parties, share food and bakes, and even host their very own quiz evening, but have diversified to include email correspondence and WhatsApp groups to stay connected during the pandemic.

Karen Ellam has lived on Charmouth Road for over 25 years, and told the Herts Ad: "For a long road, you think you're never going to get to know your neighbours, but we certainly have."

She added that neighbours have taken to helping each other out in a variety of ways, including sharing online shopping orders, collecting prescriptions and sharing games to keep lockdown boredom at bay.

"New friendships have been formed and the community spirit in these two roads will continue well into the future," she added.

The colourful Easter displays along the roads included wreaths, eggs and signs, and were amplified by the bright flowers in front gardens that line the pavement.

She exclaimed: "We're a road that a lot of people have walked up and down during lockdown - so isn't it nice to have things to look at!"

Karen hopes that this will serve as a reminder for people to continue to keep up community spirit where they live.

"People have looked out for each other," she said. "I personally have made so many friends; from checking in with them once a week, I've really got to know them. I want to make time in my life to carry on those relationships, and I think others do as well."

She added that a little really goes a long way and, with the end of lockdown restrictions firmly in sight, she hopes the sentiment and silver linings of this truly odd time overshadow the darker days: "At the end of this, I hope we can keep this up; those things we started during lockdown - don't just drop them when we go back to the mad world, which we're all tempted to do!"