Department for Communities and Local Government

 

 

 

The Department for Communities and Local Government is pleased to be partnering the Eden Project to support The Big Jubilee Lunch in 2012 and The Big Lunch in 2013.  DCLG are providing £185,000 over two years to enable the Eden Project to support selected areas where there has been little or no participation in The Big Lunch to date. The aim is to build local residents’ confidence and skills to host their own Big Lunch and equip them to take the lead in planning future community events. 

Research shows that 83% of people who took part in a Big Lunch in 2012 felt closer to their neighbours, and 64% said they are more likely to take part in community events and activities.

Organisers from The Big Lunch are working with community volunteers and leaders in the areas below to encourage local residents to particpate in the event locally, and foster better community relations.  The comunitees were chosen by The Big Lunch and the Eden Project using a range of criteria which looked at the frequency of previous community events, socio-economic factors and geographic spread.  Each community is free to decide how to use its funding in the manner which best matches its need.

 

Work is well under way in the 20 areas below in the run up to The Big Lunch:

• St Blazey and Par (South West)
• East Coseley Dudley (West Midlands)
• Warsop Parish Mansfield (East Midlands)
• Loughborough Junction (Lambeth)
• Livesey Peckham (London)
• Dewsbury Kirklees (Yorkshire and the Humber)
• Northfleet North Gravesham (South East)
• Priory Court Waltham Forest (London)
• East Cleveland Rural Villages Redcar and Cleveland (North East)
• Teams and Derwentwater Gateshead (North East)
• Hackney Wick (London)
• Mablethorpe/Trusthorpe East Lindsey (East Midlands)
• Leigh West Wigan (North West)
• Clubmoor Liverpool (North West)
• Knowsley Kirkby Northwood (North West)
• Rudheath & Wilton Cheshire (North West)
• Woodlands Doncaster (Yorkshire and Humber)
• Lumbertubs, Lings and Blackthorn Estates Northampton (East Midlands)
• Barrow Island Barrow in Furness (North West)
• Leeming & Aycliffe Road, Hertsmere (East of England)

 

This is what some of the communities thought:

 

Priory Court, Waltham Forest

“The day was BRILLIANT! It mixed all the old and young, all nationalities, it was really friendly and everyone got along well together …There were also a lot of elderly residents that came, that we had never met before and the young people were so helpful and friendly it was lovely to see.”

 

 

 

 

Leigh West, Wigan

"Our events were social gatherings. They gave local residents the chance to get together, have a chat, renew old acquaintances and to make new ones. They put people together who might not ordinarily socialise and helped generate a real sense of community and togetherness.”

 

 

 

 

Loughborough Junction, Lambeth

“Our event went so much better than we expected. Between 400 and 500 people came and we were able to transform a really tatty piece of unused open space in front of the estate shops into a lovely party space with large round tables which we borrowed from a community hall on another estate and loads ofred, white and blue bunting which was made bystudents at a local college.”