PM hosts Coronation lunch for community heroes and Ukrainians forced to flee their homes

Community heroes, Ukrainian families and youth groups gathered in Downing Street yesterday for a special Coronation lunch

• Lunch was held in Downing Street with food from across the UK
• Community heroes, Ukrainians forced to flee their homes and youth groups attended
• Over 50,000 Coronation Big Lunches were held in the UK and across the globe

Community heroes, Ukrainian families and youth groups gathered in Downing Street yesterday for a special Coronation lunch hosted by the Prime Minister and Mrs Murty.

The event is taking place as part of The Big Lunch, a nationwide initiative to bring neighbours and communities together to celebrate the Coronation.

Over 50,000 Big Lunch street parties took place in the UK and in countries across the globe.

Downing Street was adorned with bunting featuring the official Coronation emblem and the Union Flag. Crockery will be donated by Emma Bridgewater – the award-winning ceramics company based in Stroke-on-Trent – including a limited edition King Charles III teapot.

Recipients of the Points of Light Award – volunteers that have made an outstanding contribution to their community – attended the event.

They include Zoe and Andy Clark-Coates who set up Saying Goodbye a charity that supports thousands of people who have lost a child during pregnancy, at birth or infancy – and Navjot Sawhney whose hand-cranked washing machine is benefitting over 1,000 families without access to an electric machine in underdeveloped countries or refugee camps.

Also joining was Laura Ashurst from Stokesley in North Yorkshire. A three-time breast cancer survivor, Laura has campaigned for fifteen years to improve the lives of the 35,000 women across the UK with secondary breast cancer.

Attendees enjoyed food sourced from across the UK, including Loch Duart salmon from Sutherland in North West Scotland and soda farl from Northern Ireland.

Beef came from Gloucestershire in South West England and ice cream has been sourced from Chilly Cow, a company based in Ruthin, Wales.

Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s war on Ukraine and their UK-based sponsors also joined the event. They included Olga Breslavska who travelled to the UK as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme and is currently studying an intensive English course. Caroline Quill – a Homes for Ukraine sponsor – has been instrumental in matching 250 families across East Sussex and Kent and will also join the lunch.

Young people from organisations such as UK Youth and the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs also marked the occasion.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said: “Come rain or shine, thousands of friends and neighbours are coming together this weekend to put up the bunting, pour the tea and cut the cake at street parties and community events across the UK.

“I am proud to welcome Ukrainians forced to flee their homes and some incredible community heroes to Downing Street for our very own Coronation lunch to celebrate this historic moment.

“In England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland – and across our Overseas Territories and the wider Commonwealth – people are marking this momentous occasion in the spirit of unity and hope for the future”.