Meet the neighbours dancing in the street to spread community cheer during lockdown

For 13 weeks, the residents of Addison Road in West Boldon have danced from the safety of their doorsteps every Sunday night as they looked to rally together.

With weekly themes ranging from ABBA to the Bay City Rollers, residents dressed up and danced as they looked to put the fun back into the weekend.

Creating Facebook group West Boldon Isolation Dancing In The Street, the weekly dance sessions have been a hit with those in West Boldon and beyond who tune in to see videos and photos of their fun.

West Boldon Post Office has even got involved, with owner Sean Hudson sharing the details on each week’s theme for the community to get involved on its Facebook page.

Now as lockdown measures are eased further with the reopening of the hospitality industry starting on Saturday, July 4, the group have danced together for the final time.

But residents say the sense of community has remained, with plans to meet up and socialise in the future.

Looking back over the last few months of lockdown, resident Adrienne Batey Carman said: “We had seen it being done across the country and decided to give it a go ourselves.

“We have had different themes each week and loved it.

“We live on a main road and before this had known the neighbours across the street to say hello to, but this has brought us all together and we have become really good friends, it’s lovely.

Adrienne, 52, who has lived on the street for around 24 years, said their final night of dancing on Sunday, June 21, saw them go out on a high.

“Sunday was our last one as lockdown is easing off now,” she said.

“We had our neighbour Oliver Smith from The Wolcott Band perform four songs – including ‘Dancing In The Street.’

“It was brilliant. The whole thing has been something to look forward to each week and we have had a laugh.”

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