We met on a blustery Spring afternoon in an East London park. It wasn’t cold, but there was a slight threat of rain in the air – the weather forecast had been its usual not-quite-sure self. Guests were coming in from outside London and some had underestimated just how long it would take to get there by road – perhaps also miscalculating (or not quite believing) just how long it can take to get out the house, the whole family dressed for a party. I had overestimated the time it would take me by bus, but was delighted to find the park’s quirky café nearby. There, I identified a not-quite-at-ease older couple as grandparents, and we started to chat.

Forty-five minutes later, we were all ready to go. The wait mattered not a jot, and I got to play skittles with some of the children. We were there for a party and a welcoming to the world of 6-month-old Martha. Parents and elder brother (and his friend – invited along to kick a ball around while the adults did boring stuff) were dressed in their Spring best – green and yellow for Jack and lilac and white for Martha. Mum was serene, despite the slight madness around her. The cake had survived the journey and was placed with reverence on the table – under the small gazebo hastily purchased the day before and erected with the help of Dad’s friend, who had been through a lot with him, including being his Best Man! Surely a little gazebo wouldn’t put any strain on the friendship?

I assembled everyone ready to start the naming ceremony: proud Mum and Dad stepped up with their precious daughter to declare their promises; guideparents came forward to tell us about all the things they looked forward to sharing with Martha, from their unusual taste in music to promising her their (secret) family recipe for gingerbread; one grandmother read her favourite bedtime story; Martha gave good voice, first with wails and then with giggles; and I had the great pleasure of bringing it all together into a beautiful whole. There was laughter, tumbling on the grass, chasing of errant children and a small spaniel, talk of hope, love, commitment. And so the ceremony moved to the party stage, a celebration of the coming into the world of a child, but also a celebration of being all together, enjoying each other’s company, and reminding each other about previous shared times.

It was time for me to go – a drizzle of rain had started, but it didn’t dim the enthusiasm of the party-goers, or the joy of that memorable Saturday afternoon.