News
Will your council join the nation in celebration?
Author: Kate Groves, Marketing Manager, Eden Project Communities
Following the recent announcement from Buckingham Palace, we are delighted to share that this year's Big Lunch will take place on 6-8 May, as part of the celebrations for the Coronation.
Neighbours and communities are being invited to come together in a nationwide act of community and friendship by holding street parties and get togethers over the Coronation weekend - and local (parish and town) councils are once again being encouraged to get involved. We expect many of you will already be making plans to mark the occasion, which promises to be a momentous weekend of community celebration.
Those that can’t take part in The Big Lunch in May are invited to join the fun in June, with a Big Lunch to bring their community together and support great causes, as part of the associated Month of Community. This gives lots of opportunities to get involved, whenever and however works best for your town or parish community.
Now in its 15th year, The Big Lunch has a proven track record of delivering a profound and lasting impact for the communities that take part.
Last summer, 1 in 4 (17.2m) of the UK population participated in The Big Lunch or The Big Jubilee Lunch. More than 11 million people said that it helped them to feel less lonely, 92% reported it had a positive impact on their community, and almost two thirds of participants said it encouraged increased participation in voluntary work.
These outcomes also deliver significant benefits to local government. Communities become stronger, residents more self sufficient as they share time, things and skills and less reliant on public services.
From tea on the doorstep and garden gatherings to full blown street parties, fetes and festivals, tens of thousands of events are expected to take part this year and as always, there is a free pack available to support organisers with planning.
This year, there is also a special Coronation Big Lunch pack, complete with Crown template, for those wanting to mark this historic occasion. Both packs are digital and include editable resources, recipe and activity ideas, as well as practical guidance on things like road closures.
Local councils are being asked to promote this year’s campaign, using the Communications Toolkit and template press release that can be found via the Marketing Assets link below.
Whatever your town or parish has planned, we would love to hear about it, so please get in touch to share details and we look forward to another momentous year and a very Big Lunch. You can contact Kate Groves at .