THE Rose Hill Summer Garden Party may not have been in a garden, but that did not stop residents enjoying the summer.

Dozens of residents came along to the event on Saturday, which moved into the primary school when heavy downpours started.

Luckily there was a break in the rain to enjoy pony rides and fire juggling outside.

Community worker and organiser Fran Gardner said: “It was really great.

“After all the downpours in the morning, we didn’t see a spot of rain all afternoon.”

The event was the third cultural food event funded by the Lottery as part of a five-year project bringing together diverse communities on the estate.

Past events have included events celebrating the food of Gambia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Ms Gardner said: “The food went down extremely well. We had scones baked all morning and lovely cakes.

“And once the community choir started, the place was rocking.”

She added: “I think there is a part of everyone that, when it is extremely wet, thinks ‘well, we are going to get on with it and have a good time anyway’.”

The estate was given £361,714 by the Big Lottery Fund in June 2011 to fund projects over five years.

It was given to Oxford Citizens’ Housing Association (OCHA) and funds a volunteer training programme, Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, estate newsletter Rose Hill News and the cultural food programme.

A health initiative was also funded which sees an NHS health bus visit the estate – where there are no GP surgeries – each month.

Enjoying herself in the indoor ball pool was 20-month-old Beatrice Kalambayi.

Her dad Patrice said: “It was good, she had a really good time. She was just playing and playing really, so she enjoyed herself.”

Imran Mirza had the important role of the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland on Saturday, greeting guests and offering them cake.

He said: “It was brilliant, really fantastic.

“The time went really quickly because we were having a lot of fun, running around and enjoying ourselves.”

Mr Mirza, who runs Awkward Actors based in the East Oxford Community Centre, added: “Events like this are really important.”