Rotary Round-up

July 19, 2012

Author: Emma

With the concept of ‘strengthening communities’ being a driving ethos behind the work of RIBI (Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland), a link-up with The Big Lunch was really quite natural this year. RIBI believe that ‘society works best when people work together’ and so does The Big Lunch. We’re pleased to hear that lots of clubs got involved this year – here are some highlights….

Beginning in Scotland, Elgin Rotary Club embraced The Big Lunch ethic with enthusiasm, making it a part of their celebratory weekend for the Jubilee. Brodie Ross, one of the organisers, said: “We started off with our Street Pageant which travelled the length of the High Street. I am advised that the crowd was 5 deep. When the Pageant got to Cooper Park, The Big Lunch began. We estimate that 2000 people were there!”

Guests had great fun playing petanque and practiced their golf chipping at a garden party held by the Rotary Club of Dunbar’s president, a collection on the day also raising £175 for a number of charities supported by the club.

Travelling down the country, highlights included a Big Lunch street party in the town centre of Cockermouth, Cumbria, organized through a partnership between the local Rotary Club and the town’s Chamber of Trade. Entertainment on the day included stilt walkers and lots of music. Nearby, in the neighbouring town of Windermere and surrounding areas, Rotary Club members individually hosted a number of Big Lunches, inviting their communities to get together in Rotary and Big Lunch spirit.

Elgin Big Jubilee Lunchers

Rotary clubs in Preston were key supporters of the Preston Sikh Communities cultural Big Jubilee ‘Langar’. The term, effectively means ‘free kitchen’ with aims to provide free food to people of all backgrounds, designed to uphold the principle of equality. Hundreds of people attended The Big Jubilee Lunch extravaganza at Northfield Park supported by the Rotary Club of Blaby and other community groups whilst the center-piece for the Rotary Big Jubilee picnic in Gorleston-on-Sea was the town’s impressive bandstand where bands played a mix of music all day.

The results of working together as organisations demonstrate the importance of community and collaboration behind RIBI and The Big Lunch, with Rotarians across the country organizing some brilliant Big Lunches!

Did your club hold a Big Lunch this year? Let us know by emailing yourstories@thebiglunch.com

You can find out more about the great work of Rotary here http://www.ribi.org/