“It started with some residents sitting in front of their houses, warming up in the sun and chatting,” said resident Illa Thompson.
“We spontaneously decided to take some tables onto the pavement, bring out some stationery supplies and start painting. In no time children from the nearby homes came out to see what we were up to, and joined in, bringing parents and friends. More tables were bought out, more cardboard was found, refreshments appeared, a guitarist entertained us, and children kept coming,” she said.
“When it got dark, we packed it in, thinking our session was over. But next morning, kids knocked on my front gate and asked if we could set up the tables again because they wanted to do more painting. So, what started out as an impromptu afternoon activity, stretched out over two days.”
“All messages needed to be upbeat and affirming, so there are lots of paintings of togetherness and hope. I think the neighbourhood really appreciated a creative distraction and some fellowship at such a painful time,” she said.
The tightly-knit community is known for hosting the annual Halloween family-friendly street party.
The Independent on Saturday