Comedian Jo Brand and TV presenter Ainsley Harriott attend Farleigh Road’s Big Lunch street party

Farleigh Road residents held a swap shop, ran a raffle, played music and shared food and drink at a street party attended by comedian Jo Brand and TV presenter Ainsley Harriott.

The pair are ambassadors for the Big Lunch and turned up to the road in Stoke Newington to mark its tenth annual street party where there was a live band, huge BBQ, DJ and dancing.

All the residents wore stickers with their name and house number to make it easier to get to know each other.

The Big Lunch sees neighbours come together once a year, and last year over 9 million people took part in 96,000 events.

Jo Brand, said: “It’s so heartening to see events like this taking place. There’s such a mix of people just having a chat and a bite to eat. Everyone’s nattering about what’s going on in the neighbourhood and how they can help each other. This is what communities should be like. We’re all so busy these days that I think we’ve forgotten how to be good neighbours.”

Ainsley Harriott added: “As a kid I remember being in and out of my neighbours’ houses all the time, but we’ve seemed to have lost that culture along the way. It’s sad to think that you can live next door to someone for years and barely know their name.”