Where you're allowed
Gardens, driveways and communal areas need nothing at all. Closing a public road needs a street party notice — free in most councils, three to six weeks' notice.
Meet-up host
One afternoon that turns a road of strangers into neighbours
Requests get answered far more often on streets where people have already met. A meet-up costs a bag of biscuits and an afternoon, and it changes how a road behaves for years.
- One afternoon
- Time it takes
- 8–30 people
- Typical turnout
- Under £20
- Usual cost
“Fourteen people came, including two I'd waved at for nine years without knowing their names.”
Priya · Luton
A meet-up, week by week
Nothing here needs a committee. Follow the five markers below and you'll have a street full of people who know each other's names.
3 weeks before
Pick a date and a patch of ground
A front garden, driveway, communal green or church hall. Weekend afternoons, 2–4pm, get the best turnout.
12 weeks before
Post the invites
We send printable invites and two A4 posters. A handwritten line on each one roughly doubles who turns up.
23 days before
A friendly reminder
A second slip through the door, or a note in the street group. This is the one that converts the maybes.
3On the day
Kettle on, chairs out
Name stickers, a sheet where people write what they'd happily help with, and somebody on greeting duty.
4The week after
Follow it up
A short thank-you note through the doors with the Neighbourly address on it. That's when requests start appearing.
5
The whole shopping list
- Two flasks of tea and a jug of squash
- Three packets of biscuits or a shared cake table
- Name stickers and a marker pen
- A folding table and any chairs you can borrow
- The printable 'I could help with…' sheet
- A bin bag and a jug of water with cups
Ask people to bring their own mug and something to share. Nobody has ever complained that a street meet-up was too basic.
If the weather turns
Have a garage, porch or hall in reserve and say so on the invite. British meet-ups run rain or shine when people know the plan B.
Keeping it free
No collections, no raffles, no sign-up sheets asking for personal details. It stays a friendly afternoon rather than an event.
Keeping it safe
Children stay with their own grown-ups, allergens get labelled, driveways stay clear and water is always out on the table.
Questions hosts ask us
What if hardly anyone comes?
Six neighbours who now know each other is a success. Every host we've spoken to says the second one is busier.
Do I need insurance?
For a small, free, no-alcohol gathering on private ground, generally not. For a road closure your council will tell you what they require.
Can I host with someone else?
Please do. Two or three hosts from different ends of the street reaches far more doors.
What do I say about Neighbourly?
Just that it exists and it's free. The host pack includes a small card you can leave on the table.
Send for the host pack
Invites, posters, a checklist and our safeguarding one-pager — free, by email, within two working days.