Partnered by
- Big Lottery Fund - Lottery funded
- MasterCard
- Kingsmill
- Asda
- Halifax
- Communities and Local Government
We’re delighted to announce that the next annual Big Lunch will take place on Sunday 5th June 2011.
The dust has settled on this years’ event and we’re now gearing up to an even bigger Lunch in 2011. We’ve got lots of exciting things in store to help make planning and organising your event that bit easier next year so make sure you keep up-to-date with the latest news by signing up to our newsletter and keeping an eye on the main site which will be revamped soon.
Thousands of events have taken place all around the UK and a whopping million people have participated each year since the first Big Lunch in 2009. To get a taster of the fun that’s been had this year, check out the official Big Lunch showreel and all the fantastic stories and photos on Facebook and Twitter.
Whether it’s a small intimate affair or a full blown street party, our research shows that The Big Lunch can have a huge impact on communities. 80% of you told us that you feel closer to your neighbours after this years’ event, 79% feel better about where they live and a staggering 97% would recommend it to families and friends.
So, whether you’re new to The Big Lunch or a street party pro, be sure to get that date in your diary, start nattering with your neighbours and we’ll have all that you need to start planning your event on the website soon.
There’s an amazing statistic that the average drill is used for just four minutes a year. And yet nearly every household in Britain has one. That didn’t seem right to the guys at Streetbank, a website that allows you to see all that your neighbours will lend you or give away. Joining takes just a couple of minutes – you enter your postcode, add one thing you’re willing to share with your community, it could be anything – a ladder, a batman outfit, a dvd or it could be something for giving away, like an old TV or it could be a skill that you are willing to share like, French language or dog walking – and then you are able to see everything that your neighbours are offering.
We think it’s another great way to foster community spirit in your area, as well as being good for the environment and saving you money to boot.
Check out the website and if you like it and want to grow your local Streetbank community, then why not tell your neighbours all about it and get them involved too?
Walking down the street at this time of year, you’ll see many a tree stuffed with ripe fruit, much of which will rot and go to waste. Each year hundreds of fruit trees go unpicked because people don’t notice them, may not be physically able to harvest them or there are just too many fruits to deal with at one time. Well we’ve just come across Abundance, a fantastic community project that wants to change all that.
Abundance is a team of volunteers that have been helping harvest city fruit and redistributing the surplus to the community on a non-profit basis – to community cafes, nurseries, Surestarts and individuals - since 2007. They’ve also juiced tonnes of fruit and made jams, chutneys and preserves, some of which, has been sold. Abundance continues through the seasonal cycle with planting and pruning workshops and they’ve also produced a Handbook to guide you through community urban harvesting.
Abundance started in Sheffield in 2007 but is slowly spreading across the country and groups can now be found in Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh. To find out more and to volunteer your time or maybe even some fruit – send Abundance Sheffield an email or visite their website.
You might remember us telling you about Liftshare Week a little while back. Well now it’s upon us and we want to see as many people as possible giving car sharing a go!
Find a car share partner and you could:
- Save hundreds of pounds a year
- Cut your carbon Footprint
- Reduce your stress
- Make your journeys more fun
Check out the winning entry in the Liftshare video competition to find out more:
Big Jubilee Lunch 2012, an Eden Project
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