Hundreds of community Big Lunch events planned for weekend

More than 400 community Big Lunch events will be held at the weekend across Scotland, helping to kick off a month of community action in June.

The events include street parties, barbeques, coffee mornings and public picnics, and it is hoped more communities will join in throughout the month.

Events will take place in Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee and Shetland as well as elsewhere.

The idea was sparked by the Eden Project, and made possible by The National Lottery, and is part of Month of Community, an annual opportunity for neighbourhoods and groups to fundraise for a good cause, reduce loneliness and spend some time in green spaces.

Since starting in 2009, an average of 7 million people have taken part in The Big Lunch each year, making it the biggest annual act of community friendship in the UK.

Grainne McCloskey, Scotland spokesperson for The Big Lunch, said: “Eden Project recognises that when people sit down and get to know each other better they often go on to do good in the areas where they live.

“We hope The Big Lunch will be a catalyst for action during the whole of the Month of Community so if you missed out this weekend why not join in and support a cause you care about?”

Later this month, Thurso Community Development Trust in Caithness is holding a Big Lunch picnic event.

Sharon Dismore, trust senior development officer said: “The Big Lunch is hugely important because it brings a new and diverse mix of people to community projects and community spaces.

“It also gives us a reason to celebrate those community projects and the people who volunteer in them and sharing food is a great way of bringing people together.”

Anyone interested in finding out more can do so at https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-lunch.