Serious business of fun at the garden festival

Hundreds of families turned out for a summer fair at a massive new housing development.

Colindale Gardens’ fourth annual festival has begun, with children busy with the serious business of having fun.

Youngsters had their faces painted and took part in arts and crafts sessions.

An art workshop was led by Esperanza Walsh, a youth worker at St Augustine’s Church in Colindale, who has a watercolor display on ‘Reimagining Barnet’s buildings currently being staged at Chipping Norton Library in Oxfordshire.

Entertainment included Indian dance troupe Nritylaap and singer Senna, while an ice cream van was busy throughout the day.

The fair was organized by volunteers from Colindale Garden’s social committee, which also organizes other events such as the winter ‘Moons’ festival and an annual Diwali festival.

Developer Redrow London, which sponsored the Colindale Gardens festival, is currently building 250 low-cost properties as part of Barnet Council’s program for 1,000 new “affordable” homes by 2026.