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When Emma parsons Reid decided to hold a Big Lunch on her street in Cardiff last year, she was overwhelmed by the support and help she got from her local community. Here, she shares her story of how everyone got stuck in on the day; and how together they are working together to grow a community that they can all be proud of:
“Our first Big Lunch was the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, after discovering The Big Lunch through a quick search on the internet. The Big Lunch pack gave me some great ideas; and plenty of support to inspire us and get the streets started.
Our BBQ Big Lunch was held on Sunday 3rd June last year and we were overwhelmed by all the help we had to organise the day. Our local Communities First were really helpful and lent us some gazebos which were just as well as it rained heavily all day! I arranged the street closure, which was really simple to do with our local Council and I sent out flyers to invite people and to drum up some support. Neighbours got back to me fairly quickly to say they could supply BBQs, sound systems etc. for the big day.
The night before, neighbours came out and put up the bunting. Races were organised with the children until the rain made it impossible to go on. Our local councillor joined our celebrations… and unfortunately the gazebo emptied its rainwater down her back! Thankfully she took it well! It was very exciting when ITV Wales came out and filmed us singing the National Anthem, and we all watched it later in a neighbour’s house.
Since our Big Lunch everyone is a lot closer and more caring towards each other. I know we’re all looking forward to a get together at our house again this June. We’re having a garden party with everyone bringing food and drink to ours. I have organised the gazebo’s again in case of rain! Since our event we have been invited to a few parties at each other’s homes and in the nicer weather, we chat while gardening and have a good old gossip. We have a very ill resident on out street and his wife knows she can ask for help if she needs it and during the snow I did some shopping for her.
I enjoy knowing that I can call on a neighbour if I need help and it makes me feel secure that I know everybody’s name in the street. We keep an eye on each other’s property and we now have a shared history from the parties. We have photos of everyone having a good time and I think that’s a lovely thing to pass on to my grandchildren. They love my street and play out with the other children now, when they stay with me. They will grow up with a sense of community and I feel proud I can give them that.
Bellenden Road has had a Big Lunch every year since 2009, here one of the organisers, Deborah Doane, shares her anticipation for their 5th Big Lunch!
“Less than two weeks to go until our annual Bellenden Big Lunch and I can sense the anticipation in the air. Bellenden Road is a long road in South-East London – a gentrified yet bohemian corner of Peckham that feels more like a village than inner-city London. Posters are up; our Twitter feed is active and I can’t get my mind off of what I’m going to bake this year – Caramel chocolate brownies? Strawberry-rhubarb pie? Or maybe both?
I can’t vouch for everyone of course, but the planning of our Big Lunch – and I’m not even leading the committee this year (I did the first 2 years) – is what inspires me the most. It’s in the planning where that spark of longed-for “community” really emerges. It’s in the planning where I’ve made long-lasting inter-generational, inter-cultural friendships; and where I get to send cheeky Tweets to our 250 followers. And it’s in the planning, where I get to obsess about what to bake.
In previous years on Bellenden Road, the food has certainly been myriad – Thai green curry, Indian Pakoras, Andalucian Gazpacho, Greek stuffed vine leaves, Jamaican rum cake, fresh-baked cinnamon buns. And I expect nothing less this year. After a long drawn-out winter, we’ve even started a little cooking club to learn such recipes from one another. (OK, so we’ve only had one go of Thai Food, but we aspire to do more…). But for me, it’s the baking. And this year, someone is organising a “bake-off” at our Big Lunch.
I don’t think it’s about the competition – it is genuinely about neighbours getting together. But as we all now know, thanks to Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry – there is something special in the alchemy of sugar, butter and flour coming together and sharing with people.
So while my neighbours are busy organising the other amazing activities – from a community art project, a neighbourhood quiz, to a drumming circle and a seed swap – I’ll be thinking about, (maybe even testing if my family is lucky) what I’m going to bake, imagining my new friends enjoying it on 2nd June, and most importantly, looking forward to what will happen in the weeks and months between our Big Lunches, where we get to cook together and plan some more.”
Twitter: @Bellbiglunch
Facebook: Bellenden Big Lunch
Website: http://www.bellendenbiglunch.co.uk/
Email: bellendenbiglunch@hotmail.co.uk
Halifax have been inundated with requests for the Halifax Big Lunch Box, but don’t worry if you missed out!
Halifax have generously managed to create 1,500 mini kits, containing bunting and balloons. If you want one of these kits please email thebiglunch@lloydsbanking.com with your name and full address including postcode.
These are available on a first come, first served, and one per household basis. The offer ends midnight Friday 24 to give Halifax the chance to get these out to you in time.
Paul Kerrigan, Big Lunch Community Awards finalist, tells us how getting involved in The Big Lunch has helped his local community reconnect and how the good ideas discussed at their event have gone on to develop into some great community action.
“Ballycastle is a lovely picturesque sea side town located in North Antrim however due to the current economic climate local business and tourism have slowed. Unemployment has risen, shops have closed and there have been problems including vandalism, drugs and anti-social behaviour but locals have a tremendous pride for Ballycastle and felt a loss of community.
After a very serious illness, my recovery was slow and time for reflection was aplenty. This led me to feel much more thankful for life and keen to pay something back into a local community that as a child I have very fond memories of. I attended a council meeting, hearing about The Big Lunch just when I was keen to give my kids a taste of the community spirit of my youth. I ordered the pack and tested the water.
I was blown away by the local support! We planned to have our Big Lunch to celebrate the once in a lifetime arrival of the Olympic torch. We formed a community group, Ballycastle Development Group (BCDG), allowing us to apply for a little funding. It’s been part of a domino effect in turning life in our town around. We now even have a Ballycastle Facebook page where we all share ideas on things we’d like to see improve and projects we’d like to do.
The community group has gone on to do lots of things for families locally, resulting in closer networking, sharing and contributing to their local area. We’ve organised family sports days and fundraising events, quiz nights and entertainment and had a very successful Winter Wonderland event over Christmas that saw 2500 people enjoy the Santa’s grotto and ice rink! It’s all helped us renew pride and given new residents a chance to get involved in becoming part of the community.
Rathlin Island which is just off the coast of Ballycastle also had a Big Lunch last year and got involved in ours leading to firm friendship and sharing of information between our groups. Now we are inviting each other to things and have made a strong alliance which has resulted in us working together to plan the Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival (24th May to 2nd June). The festival opens with an evening parade at Ballycastle seafront and continues through the week until the closing event of music and, of course, The Big Lunch on Rathlin on the 2nd.
Onwards and upwards!”
Keep in touch with your stories on yourstories@thebiglunch.com
Not sure what foodie treats to bring to your Big Lunch table? Get some expert help and inspiration from our long-standing supporter, Levi Roots, who has created five tasty, easy to prepare dishes costing just £5 each!
The recipes, based on Levi’s new cookbook, Grill It With Levi (published by Ebury Press, price £18.99) are ideal for sharing at your Big Lunch on Sunday 2 June and are perfect for the BBQ. With these new recipes, the celebrity chef and musician hopes to show how good food needn’t be pricey and that everyone can get involved in holding a Big Lunch, no matter what your budget.
Why not try making his Hot ‘n’ Cheesy Potato Skins, perfect dipped in his signature Levi Roots X Hot Reggae Reggae Sauce as a starter while the barbecue heats up! Follow with some Barbecued Sweet Corn with Flavoured Butters or Haloumi 50/50 Kingsmill Wraps with Melon and Mint Salsa- yum!
Levi has also come up with a nice healthy recipe which he describes as his ‘ital’ style – the Rasta term for food that’s good, natural and pure’. But if your taste buds need something sweet, his Roasted Treacle Toffee Bananas with gooey sweet brown-sugary centres will go down nicely with ice cream and are easy on the BBQ too.
Levi will be demonstrating just how simple it is to prepare these recipes at a special Big Lunch cooking demo soon! Look out for these recipes on the blog where we’ll take you through each dish step by step. You can also find more food, decoration and activity ideas here.
“Cooking bananas on a barbecue is super easy. You just wrap them in foil, place them on the grill when there’s space, and leave them there, turning once or twice, until you’re ready for pudding. Enjoy the lovely, gooey sweet brown-sugary centre with some cream or ice cream.”
Levi’s Big Lunch recipes are based on dishes from his new cookbook, Grill It With Levi, published by Ebury Press, priced £18.99.
Makes 6
1. Mix together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Cut into each banana through the skin, almost down to the bottom of the fruit.
2. Divide the sugary vanilla butter between the bananas, pushing it down into the cut and spreading it out. Close up the fruit and wrap in a layer of foil.
3. Barbecue, turning occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the butter and sugar have melted. Allow about 20 minutes, but you can leave them there for as long as you need to if the fire isn’t too hot.
4. Serve with clotted cream or vanilla ice cream.
“This beautiful, refreshing salsa is so lovely to look at that you’ll enjoy preparing this dish as well as eating it! Haloumi is a firm cheese that cooks really well on a barbeque.”
Levi’s Big Lunch recipes are based on dishes from his new cookbook, Grill It With Levi, published by Ebury Press, priced £18.99.
Serves 4
For the salsa
1. Prepare the salsa shortly before you cook the haloumi to keep it nice and fresh. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into 1.5cm cubes. Cut the melon into similar-sized pieces. Mix the cucumber, melon and onion together in a bowl.
2. Cut the haloumi block in half horizontally and cut each piece into slices 2–3cm thick. Some people cook haloumi directly on the barbecue but I prefer to place the slices on a piece of foil first. Cook until slightly oozy, turning over once.
3. Put the wraps on a work surface and spoon a line of salsa down the middle of each one, leaving any liquid in the bowl. Put a few slices of haloumi in the middle of the salsa and roll up the wraps. You can serve them cut them in half on an angle, if you like.
“This is what I call ital – the Rasta term for food that’s good, natural and pure. Grill the tomatoes in the kitchen beforehand and eat these as a starter while the barbecue heats up. Or cook them over the coals and enjoy them with the rest of the meal. You could even eat them for a really healthy breakfast.”
Levi’s Big Lunch recipes are based on dishes from his new cookbook, Grill It With Levi, published by Ebury Press, priced £18.99.
Makes 8 toasts
1. Mix together the oil, chilli and thyme. Cut each tomato into 4 thick slices and brush with the seasoned oil. Grill or barbecue the tomato slices on both sides until lightly browned and nice and juicy. Take off the heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, barbecue both sides of the bread. Rub the cooked side of the bread with the cut side of the garlic and drizzle over some oil. Firmly press a tomato slice onto each piece of bread so that it lies flat. Sprinkle with chilli and thyme. Serve hot or warm.
“Apart from meat, this is the thing most people think of when they hear the word barbecue. A barbie isn’t a barbie without sweet corn. If your barbecue is busy doing meat you can also cook your corn on a griddle – here I explain how to do it both ways.”
Levi’s Big Lunch recipes are based on dishes from his new cookbook, Grill It With Levi, published by Ebury Press, priced £18.99.
Serves 6
For the lime and coriander butter
For the parmesan butter
For the chilli butter
1. You can cook corn on the barbecue in 2 ways. If you’re in a hurry, boil the corn in water until slightly soft but not completely tender, about 10 minutes. Brush with oil or butter, season with salt and pepper and set on the bars of the barbecue to finish cooking and get lovely and charred. Turn the cobs every so often. If you don’t want to barbecue the corn after boiling, brush with oil or butter and cook on a ridged griddle – preheated until it is almost smoking – turning the corn until charred on all sides. Either way it will take about 5-10 minutes.
2. Wrap the corn in foil or cook them as they are, burying them in the embers if you’re using coals or on the bars if not. They will take about 30–40 minutes to become tender.
3. To make the butters, mash all the ingredients for each one together and chill. When the butter has firmed up, roll into neat sausage shapes, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill again. Serve the corn hot with rounds of your chosen butter melting over the top of each one. Yum.
“These are really nice to eat with my X Hot Reggae Reggae Sauce while the barbecue heats up.”
Levi’s Big Lunch recipes are based on dishes from his new cookbook, Grill It With Levi, published by Ebury Press, priced £18.99.
Makes 8 skins
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Bake the potatoes until soft, about 45 minutes–1 hour.
2. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh (keep this for another use such as mash), leaving a layer of skin and potato 1.5–2cm thick. Brush inside and out with the oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Place on a baking tray and return to the oven for 15 minutes, skin-side up first. Turn over halfway through.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oven; scatter the flesh with the thyme, spring onions and Cheddar. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
5. Serve warm, topped with the Reggae Reggae Sauce and a dollop of sour cream.
Big Jubilee Lunch 2012, an Eden Project
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