For nearly two years, the nation abided Government advice to stay home and stay safe in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID. In 2022, we entered a time of national celebration. Bunting went up in every town and village, even in people’s front gardens. It was also perhaps the first opportunity for the nation to come together to celebrate something in public without restrictions. this series looks back at a previous time when we engaged in a similar activity. It was 1977 and the weather was glorious but the country was a different place to how it is now. Punk rock had just entered our cultural experience. The Sex Pistols had been ranting about all that was wrong with our society. Years of strikes and industrial unrest had been taking its toll but suddenly for a brief period, we as a nation relaxed and celebrated with our monarch, 25 years of her reign. This small series shows  how ordinary people took time out to have fun and simply enjoy themselves. It was a local community centre that housed courses and a nursery where my mum worked at the time. There was nothing pretentious about this celebration it was a small fete where children and adults could spend an hour or two simply having fun. The occasion was characterised by particular things. Music, dancing, jelly and ice cream. Each person found these memorable.

As I stood among the crowds awaiting the signal and countdown to the lighting of a beacon on the coast at Maldon of the Platinum Jubilee, I couldn't help but get drawn back into the euphoria of the moment. I realised how important these celebrations is are to us as a nation. Not just because we were marking the long reign of HRH Elizabeth II but also because we needed this. We needed to be released from the trials of Brexit, Covid and the the economy crisis. We needed to simply relax and have a good time, if only for a brief period before we are reminded of the problems befallening us. The same was true in 1977. We did have a good time. We laughed, played and made merry. At that small Jubilee party, we also had our music. It was nothing special. It was unpretentious. It was simply a small group playing tunes we knew. Songs from our recent past. Those songs that epitomised East End Life. The day finished on a high.