Scotland’s girl next door, Michelle McManus, is supporting The Big Lunch 2013! The singer and presenter says she really identifies with what The Big Lunch is all about and wants to encourage the same sense of community spirit she felt when growing up.

“I grew up in Glasgow in a very big family and was constantly surrounded by family, friends and neighbours. We were notorious for throwing parties to celebrate anything from birthdays to new jobs. The Big Lunch is the perfect excuse to get-together like we used to do and start being a bit friendlier.”

Michelle continues to play a big part in the area of Glasgow where she lives now. “The feeling of community is invaluable to me, it means you’re never lonely and you always feel safe. I can go into my local deli or book shop and meet people I’ve known a long time and I have the best neighbour anyone could wish for.  He’s one of the reasons that I haven’t moved! He’s a fantastic friend and we help each other out.”

Everyone gets together on their street every year and this year they will be joining in on Sunday 2 June with their first ever Big Lunch. Planning to bring lots of chat and homemade cakes, Michelle says she might even get a bit of a sing song started!

To add to her talents she also speaks Gaelic and wanted to send this message in the Scots dialect to encourage everyone to get involved this year:

“Na bithibh diid! Togaibh ur cinn le gire agus gnogaibh air doras ur nbaidh airson gu faic sibh a bheil iad ag iarraidh a dhol airson biadh, airson dithis, air an darna latha dhan t-g-mhios.”

-There’s still time to sign up for this year’s Big Lunch, stop being shy, lift your head, wear your best smile and knock on your neighbours door to see if they fancy getting together for lunch on 2 June.

Big thanks to Michelle!

Here she tells us how her community has been transformed over the years and shares her top tips for keeping the community buzz alive in your area.

Our first Big Lunch was a huge success with the majority of the street joining in – despite initial scepticism and people thinking we’d never get anyone out! We put people in teams with others they knew and some that they didn’t and arranged activities that encouraged people to interact.

The event made the sense of distrust that existed in our area quickly fade away and, in what now seems like no time at all, the street began to feel safe.  Younger and older generations started treating each other with more respect and attitudes changed too.

The planning group that we formed to organise The Big Lunch has now turned into the ‘Friends and Neighbours Community Alliance’ (F.A.N) and we organise lots of other events in our area.  The young people in the street have also set up ‘Mini F.A.Ns’ to provide more youth focussed activities and events, and give them greater input into the community.  They’ve formed their own circus group which provides shows and workshops across Neath, giving the group an income, which is fantastic.

Almost everyone in the street now contributes to a communal fund through weekly bonus balls and raffles – giving us the funds to organise events and activities throughout the year.

Ethel Street is now vibrant and full of life; people are always outside chatting to each other and there’s always something to do.  Our annual activities range from The Big Lunch, summer trips (for round 106 people!), a Halloween event, a Christmas meal out, a trip to the panto, and a Fairtrade coffee morning.  We’ve started to transform a disused back alley into an urban allotment, we have systems in place for people to share and re-home items, we raise awareness to tackle fly-tipping, dog fouling and littering. The list is endless!  The sense of community and belonging is just profound.

I used to keep myself to myself, but now we’re all in and out of each other’s houses and know everything that’s going on – It’s like a street of nosey neighbours, but in a good way!

Emma’s top tips for your Big Lunch:

• Don’t be afraid to delegate – most people want to help
• If you don’t ask you don’t get
• Plan well in advance
• Make sure young people are involved in the decision making
• Form a group and get constituted – this will let you apply for funding for projects that you may want to do.
• Start up some kind of regular fundraising activity – even if it only brings in £10 a week, it will soon add up.
• Get involved in your local community.  If you’re on your own, join a local group or two, attend Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings
• Find out if you’re in a Communities First area and get to know the workers.
• If you already have a residents group in your street, try and get representatives in as many local groups and forums as possible – this will keep you in touch with what is going on in the area, open up opportunities, provide vital contacts for future projects, and most importantly give the members of your group a greater voice.
• Try to include everyone.  Use a combination of social networking sites, word of mouth and posters / flyers to ensure that no-one is ever left out

Anyone can take part by ringing any kind of bell for three minutes, from experienced change ringing experts of tower bells to enthusiastic children with hand bells, bicycle bells and doorbells. Individuals, communities and organisations can register their interest in taking part on the day or register their own bell ringing event for others to join. So why not get together with your neighbours, friends and family and be a part of history! The sound of thousands of bells across the country ringing out at the same time to mark this historical moment will be something to remember for years to come.

The event will be broadcast by the BBC to a potential live audience of over 10 million people across the UK on TV, radio and online, by BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 2 Chris Evans Breakfast Show and BBC local radio stations. This unique London 2012 Festival commission is their largest community project, offering everyone in the UK the amazing opportunity to be part of London 2012’s history and a work by a Turner Prize-winning artist. Musician Martin Creed says: ‘It’s by people and for people. On the morning of the opening of the Games it’s a massive signal that something is happening.’

Ruth Mackenzie, Director of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival, said: ‘The commission shows the Festival’s commitment to world-class artists and to the values of participation. Martin Creed’s wonderful idea gets everyone involved in the opening day of the Games not just as an audience but as an integral part of the work.’

To celebrate the significant contribution made by their members, for 2012 the organisation are focusing on and encouraging community volunteering. So why not carry on the community spirit from your Big Lunch and get involved by volunteering as a Neighbourhood or Home Watch member or coordinator?

Since the launch of their very first scheme founded in Mollington, Cheshire, there have been a number of substantial developments across the Network, which is now one of the largest voluntary movements across the UK. They aim to trigger even more positive action within local neighbourhoods, enabling communities to take responsibility and make a real difference.

Volunteer Janet Gould, from Greater Manchester, says:

“My involvement with Neighbourhood and Home Watch started when an elderly neighbour in our local area became the victim of distraction burglary, having £3000 stolen. That was back in 1993, nearly 20 years ago. It was during this period I became a Community Volunteer, worked closely with Greater Manchester Police, whereby I eventually applied to become one of the first Police Support Volunteers, in 1996. Volunteering has enabled me to learn new skills and acquire qualifications, and has been beneficial and rewarding.”

To find out more about how you can get involved with your community, visit the NHW website for information on what’s happening in your local area during National Neighbourhood and Home Watch Week and a list of events.

The Big Lunch team are working closely with community volunteers and leaders in the selected areas, from St Blazey in the south to Gateshead in the north, to help boost their confidence and encourage community relations.  We’ve also created special toolkits for local residents to help them run Big Lunches and other community events in the future.  Jeni Lewitt, an experienced community worker at the Eden Project, is actively supporting each area with their plans, from connecting people and groups, to sourcing materials for bunting and salad seeds for planting.

Eric Pickles said he was “delighted that the Eden Project is helping the Government ensure that these communities aren’t left out when it comes to the biggest celebration of the year.”

Our own Peter Stewart the Director of Campaigns for the Eden Project said “this is a really exciting opportunity to support communities across England and help them to create their own, unique Big Jubilee Lunch.”

And plans are definitely under way.  In Peckham, London, one huge street party covering three streets on the Livesey estate will include bunting making workshops and music performances from local young people, whilst in St Blazey, Cornwall, the Big Lunch will include a 1950’s style sports day, a range of local stall holders and hot food.  Lots of local community groups are getting involved in each area and we can’t wait to see how these Big Lunches go on the day.

Find out more here 

 This evening the children solved that problem for me. A neighbouring child called round, and had to almost drag my children out by the hair, so goggled-eyed and lethargic were they from too much screen time.

 They headed out with a box of chalks and began an impromptu street art competition. More flocked to join them. Soon there were seven kids, aged between 2 and 9, pouring their creative souls onto the vast blank canvas of the pavement - bringing brightness, exuberance, colour and life to the paths we daily tread.

Last year when dreaming up our Big Lunch, I wanted to suggest painting a mural on the grey wall at the end of our estate. It being our first Big Lunch in the community, and organising it single-handedly, I didn’t want to put noses out of joint, or foist my mad creative projects on unwilling victims.

I love community art projects. A few years back I co-chaired a local arts festival. One of our most popular events was the family sand-sculpting competition on the beach.

This year I have a feeling there will be another pavement art competition for the Big Lunch, and perhaps a mural too – even if it’s just in chalks.

What artistic plans have you for your Big Lunch or Big Jubilee Lunch? 

Written by  Big Lunch Champion Lucy Pearce
Free spirited freelance writer and contributing editor, JUNO magazine.

The Duchess of Cornwall has agreed to become Patron of The Big Jubilee Lunch. Today a group of six young organisers from a local school met Her Royal Highness to discuss their plans with her. The children, from St Peter’s Eaton Square primary school, with their faces painted in Union Jack colours, knocked on the door of Clarence House, which was opened by The Duchess of Cornwall. She invited the children inside, entertained them in the Garden Room, chatted about their Diamond Jubilee celebration plans, and enjoyed the cupcakes they had made as a gift for their hostess.

At the end of the visit, the children asked The Duchess of Cornwall to become Patron of The Big Jubilee Lunch, which she gladly agreed to do.

Communities across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth are being encouraged to hold lunches on Sunday, June 3rd as part of the main programme for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. Street parties, garden gatherings and picnics will unite the nation as neighbours, friends and family gather to celebrate over the Bank holiday week end.

The Big Jubilee Lunch has evolved from The Big Lunch which is run by the Eden Projectas a simple idea to encourage people to sit down with their neighbours on one day. Since 2009, thousands of Big Lunches have taken place across the United Kingdom and in 2011 the number of participants doubled to the best part of two million. This year, a record number of people are expected to take part.

Organisers of The Big Jubilee Lunch are delighted. Peter Stewart, Campaigns Director, says: “We are thrilled and proud that The Duchess of Cornwall is to be the Patron of The Big Jubilee Lunch. And it was thrilling for the children who visited her to be treated so warmly by Her Royal Highness in her home. It is a huge boost to our ambition to get as many people in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth to sit with their neighbours and have lunch as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The original idea for The Big Lunch came from Cornwall so it feels particularly apt that our patron is in fact The Duchess of Cornwall.”

You can see a video of the day here

With only 81 days to go until the big day, we wanted to remind you to make sure you get your road closure applications in on time. Most councils will require up to 12 weeks’ notice in order to process a road closure application, but this can vary. The best way to find out is by contacting your council directly.

Figures released by the Local Government Association on 3 March show that there have been 3,500 road closure applications for street parties to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond jubilee – and this doesn’t even include celebrations that are being organised in parks, pubs, village greens and other communal spaces!

Many councils have cut all red tape around road closures and have waived the fee where possible. A few of our ‘Star Councils’ such as Newham and Cheshire West and Cheshire are giving away small amounts of funding for Jubilee celebrations to help with the cost of Public Liability Insurance and other start-up costs for bigger events.

Although councils across the UK are doing their best to cut the cost of road closures, you may still face a small charge, or need to pay for Public Liability Insurance. If you are in need of a little funding for your event, visit our funding page for more information.

DCLG  have created a simplified application form that you can send directly to your council. This can be downloaded here. More information on road closures can be found on our FAQ’s page. You will also find more information where to get insurance for your event.

If you are having any problems with road closures, we are here to help! – send an email to camilla.baker@thebiglunch.com

If you think that your council should be on our ‘Star Council’s page let us know by emailing camilla.baker@thebiglunch.com

If you have begun 2012 in need of a big clear-out, why not make use of your old clutter and do some community sharing? As they say ‘One persons junk is another’s treasure!’

Here are 5 ways you can recycle unwanted items through community sharing:

1) Give it away
There are some great websites such as Freecycle, Gumtree, Freegle and Snaffleup, where you can advertise things for free; from books and clothes to sofas and bikes. They are usually free to post and you can request that the item is collected whenever suits you.

2) Lend it
Websites like ecomodo allow communities to lend and borrow each other’s everyday objects, skills and spaces with confidence. You can even choose to lend for free, for a fee or for charity. 

Don’t forget: sharing with your neighbours is not only really helpful when in need; its also a great way of making new friends!

3) Swap It
Invite your friends and neighbours to a ‘swap it’ evening. Get them to bring things that they don’t want anymore and let the swapping commence. This works really well when you fancy a new wardrobe!

4) Give it to charity
Get your local community together and hold a local fete or charity sale while raising money in the process. Or even better, how about putting up some stalls on your Big Lunch this summer? You can can find more information on fundraising for charity at your Big Lunch here.

Tip: This is a great way to make use of any unwanted gifts from Christmas.

5) Re invent it
Some items may be a little too well used to give away, but all is not lost! Most things can be reinvented to be useful in others ways. For example old Clothes are great for Big Lunch bunting or odd or old shoes make quirky plant pots.

Our ideas pages are great for giving inspiration on transforming old clutter into fantastic Big Lunch decorations, games and entertainment!

How about a bag made from bottle tops?!

This blog is written by The Big Lunch guest writer Lucy Pearce, one of our Big Lunch Champions.

I have always hated the idea of living on a housing estate. Too many neighbours, too close for comfort, identikit houses, and not our sort of people. No siree, not for me. And certainly not for my kids. They need a vast lawn, and a wood and meadows to run wild in. Perhaps a pony! Certainly an acre of organic veggie garden. And mama needs her own private glade for naked moonlight dancing and other mad notions! But reality and finances mean that in order to live where we want to live, we needed to live on an estate.
And you know what? I am so glad we do!

If only for one reason (though in reality there are many!). It is perfect for the kids. We live at the end of a loop-the-loop cul-de-sac, and so our children have a veritable runway of tarmac all to themselves, with a massive patch of grass besides.

 
So, rather than me driving here, there and everywhere arranging play dates and after school activities, they head out the back door and there they have friends. A pack of them to run about with. They range from 18 months to 10 and all take part according to their ability. They play on bikes and trikes, skate boards and push along tractors.  They play catch, draw in chalk on the pavement, collect caterpillar and grasshoppers, create elaborate mausoleums for deceased rodents which could rival the Taj Mahal and invent endless espionage games which usually end in tears. There is a lot of water play too, which always seems to take place in our garden – it seems that mud, gravel, stones and a hose can provide hours of illicit fun!

I feel so good knowing that they are out there creating their own little community of neighbours, another generation of connections being made. But where we mums and dads make it over cups of coffee and borrowed sugar, they make theirs over ice lollies and worms.

If you are interested in making this happen in your own neighbourhood, I have just discovered a new initiative www.playingout.net which aims to promote and support kids playing outside together, helping communities to create safe spaces within their neighbourhoods for free play. Do check out this innovative website – even if just to revel in the pavement painting design.

The Big Lunch brings all ages out and following Big Lunches there are so many stories of friendships that were formed on the day, the childrens stories are just as important, infact its often their enthusiasm that spurs us on to do it again and again.

So let’s help our children play outside together and check out the winter edition of JUNO magazine for an interview with Tim Gill about supporting children and outside play.

Lucy has her own blog which you may follow at http://www.dreamingaloud.net/

For ideas on how you can involve children in your Big lunch visit http://www.thebiglunch.com/ideas/