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The charity Eden Project Communities created the Big Lunch initiative in 2009. Its aim is to combat social isolation and loneliness by encouraging communities to get together and share an annual meal with their neighbours. There are no rules about what constitutes a Big Lunch: it could be a street party where the road is closed, a picnic in a neighbour’s garden or common green space, or just a few sandwiches eaten on the doorstep with the people next door.
The focus is getting the neighbourhood together in as big a way as possible to get everyone talking and socialising. Anyone can host a Big Lunch by applying for a Big Lunch pack through the Eden Project Communities website, and over the past 13 years, it claims to have supported more than 1 million community celebrations across the UK.
In addition, in Jubilee years there have been Big Lunch events held in more than 70 commonwealth countries across the globe. The royal connection is a strong one, too. Since 2013, Camilla, the Queen Consort, has been a patron of the charity, and for Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee last year a record-breaking 216,315 Big Lunches took place, with 17.2 million people (a quarter of the UK population) taking part.
How to organise a street party for the Coronation Big Lunch
For those planning to host a Big Lunch, the first step is to apply for a free Coronation Big Lunch pack online.
The pack contains customisable invitations and posters to distribute around the neighbourhood, as well as advice on signing up to apps such as NextDoor to help spread the word. The pack also offers ideas and guides on how to decorate your neighbourhood, from tips on how to make bunting to conversation starters (“Have you ever met a member of the Royal family?”, “What’s your favourite way to spend a bank holiday?”, “What’s something nice that’s happened to you this week?”, “What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?”)
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