Lothian MSP Miles Briggs is encouraging people in the Lothians to get involved in the Big Lunch this weekend. Continue reading All set to enjoy The Big Lunch this weekend
Saturday 1st JUNE: 1pm – 4pm
To celebrate the start of volunteer week we’re inviting all of our friends to join us for a picnic at Edinburgh’s stunning Botanic Gardens. Continue reading THE BIG LUNCH: Community Picnic at The Botanics
Queensferry Churches’ Care in the Community was Monday’s spotlight visit for walkers leading The Big Walk, an initiative journeying across the UK to shine a light on fantastic communities and projects that make great things happen. Continue reading Queensferry in the spotlight as Big Walk comes to town
Four teams of walkers set off on Wednesday 16 May on an epic three-week journey across the UK, as The Big Walk returns for its second year. This year, representing Scotland is a 52-year-old father of three, Angus McLeod from Dundee. Joining him on various other sections of the 400-mile route is Adam Mould, founder of the Glasgow Panthers Wheelchair Rugby League team, along with several of his team-mates. Continue reading Big Walk strolls in to Portobello
‘The Big Walk’ comes to Portobello Beach with an open invitation to join in and celebrate community spirit
Continue reading The Big Walk’s coming to Porty
Edinburgh City Libraries and The Big Lunch organised a special Gruffalo-themed storytime event for parents and children in Stockbridge Library yesterday. The event was launched by Councillor Richard Lewis, City of Edinburgh’s Convener for Culture and Sport.
Toddlers were treated to a Gruffalo themed Big Lunch and Bookbug session. Bookbug sessions are regular free events for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and their families to enjoy together and meet others in the local area. The children joined in with a reading of the popular story and then enjoyed some songs, rhymes and party treats.
The Big Lunch – the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours – is funded by The Big Lottery Fund and partnered by Halifax and ASDA. Now in its seventh year, the simple idea from the Eden Project aims to provide neighbours with an opportunity to get to know one another better. The Big Lunch takes place on the first Sunday in June each year – this year it’s 7 June.
The Gruffalo is The Big Lunch’s animated ambassador this year and The Big Lunch in Scotland has partnered with the Scottish Book Trust and Bookbug to help encourage more Scottish communities to take part.
Councillor Richard Lewis said: “We wanted to tie in with The Big Lunch this year as there is a shared community ethos between the campaign and the work we do in our libraries. Libraries are a community hub and an important local resource. We know that Bookbug sessions are popular with young families acoss the city. This is especially important as being a new parent can be an isolating time and having additional support within the community can really help.”
“Initiatives like The Big Lunch are encouraging people to break the ice with their neighbours in a fun and easy way. We’ve loved supporting the campaign and hope to hear of lots of lunching going on in Edinburgh this June on Big Lunch day!”
Edinburgh neighbours are being encouraged to host Big Lunch events to help build community spirit and connect with those they live beside.
Anyone who is interested in getting involved can get started by requesting a free Big Lunch pack from www.thebiglunch.com. Packs contain invitations and posters to adapt for your community, Gruffalo stickers as well as seeds, recipes and activity ideas.
All pack materials are undated so communities can have a Big Lunch when best suits them if they can’t join in on Sunday 7 June. For more information, please contact Emma at The Big Lunch in Scotland on emma.smith@thebiglunch.com or 0141 559 5066.
The Big Lunch encourages Scots to get numbers climbing and boost community spirit!
Organisers of the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours are calling for at least 10% of Scots to get stuck into a day of food, friendship and fun on Sunday 7 June.
The call to action was launched on Thursday – the ‘100 days to go’ mark before the big day. It is hoped that millions of neighbours across the UK will again be getting together in an effort to boost community spirit where they live. A massive 4.83 million people took part in the lottery funded initiative in 2014.
Emily Watts, Communications Manager for The Big Lunch in Scotland encouraged more people in Scotland to get involved this year. She said: “C’mon Edinburgh! We want to see the number of people taking part in Scottish communities climbing to 10% of the population. Year on year, feedback from previous participants is very positive, with people feeling more connected to their communities after a Big Lunch. People start new relationships that continue after the day too.
“We know Scots are friendly but we all recognise the feeling that we could make more effort with our neighbours. The Big Lunch is an excuse to chap the door and ask if they’d like to get together.”
The Big Lunch, partnered by Halifax and ASDA, is now in its seventh year. Big Lunches can be big or small, take place on a street, park or community venue and be as simple and inexpensive as you like. There are no rules to getting involved besides that people are the key ingredient!
In 2014, thousands of communities from all across the country took part in the big event. Lou, who organized her street’s first ever Big Lunch street party in Edinburgh last year, said: “Before our Big Lunch I knew the neighbours near our house to speak to, but not further up the street. Now we all know each other and feel able to stop and say hello, which I wouldn’t have done before.
“Our neighbours really got into the spirit of contributing something on the day, bringing lovely food to share and helping with party tunes and activities for the kids. This made it really easy and inexpensive to pull together. Looking back, it felt like a day from a bygone era and I’m glad we put the time aside to get to know our community better. I really recommend getting involved in 2015!”
Edinburgh neighbours who are interested in getting involved this June can register for a free pack, now available from www.thebiglunch.com or on 0845 850 8181. Packs include invitations, posters, recipes and activity ideas, as well as lots of information to get events off the ground. All pack materials are undated so communities can have Big Lunches when best suits them if they can’t join in on Sunday 7 June.
Footage from previous year’s Big Lunches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
The Eden Project started The Big Lunch in 2009 with the belief that we’re better equipped to tackle the challenges we face when we face them together.
The Big Lunch is led by the Eden Project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund and supported by Halifax and Asda.
Find out more about The Big Lunch at www.thebiglunch.com
