The Big Lunch uniting communities in the mid and west

THE BIG LUNCH – UNITING COMMUNITIES IN THE MID AND WEST

The Big Lunch, the largest gathering of neighbours in the UK, is back, and this year its aiming to smash the number of people involved in Wales.

Organised by Eden Project Communities and made possible by the Big Lottery Fund, 2017 saw more than 350,000 people in Wales (12% of the population) either attending or organising a Big Lunch event and this year we want even more.

Mid and West AM Simon Thomas said: “The Big Lunch is all about getting people together to share a meal and talk so that friendships and communities flourish. This year’s Big Lunch will be held on Sunday 3 June and it will be an opportunity for people in my region to get involved in a UK-wide celebration of the people around us, the place we live and the joy of sharing food with neighbours and friends, old and new.”

Lowri Jenkins, Country Manager, Wales for Eden Project Communities, said: “A Big Lunch can be anything from a small gathering in a garden, park or driveway, to a larger party with trestle tables down the middle of your street. If the official Big Lunch date isn’t practical for your community, then you can run one at any time you fancy.

“The idea is that by starting simple, all sorts of friendships, ideas and projects can come out of a Big Lunch. It gets people together and talking — and with a few inspired folk, it can lead to people doing more within their community, and tackling the issues that matter to them most.

“Organising a Big Lunch shouldn’t be overly complicated, or require a lot of resources or money: it can be as big or as small as you like. By making use of what you already have and doing a little research to see what others can share, you’d be surprised at what you can all bring to the table!

“We’ve put together a fantastic Big Lunch starter pack, that can be downloaded for free by going to thebiglunch.com. These are full of everything you need to get you started and are brimming with ideas, hints and tips, recipes, inspiring stories from past big lunchers”

To find out more visit wwwthebiglunch.com or @edencommwales