The Big Lunch
The first weekend of every June.
Celebrating community, togetherness and new connections.
About the event
The big lunch is an initiative set up by the eden project designed to strengthen communities in the UK. Every year, on the first weekend of June, over 6million participants in the UK set up big tables in their communities and have a big lunch. Everyone is invited and all food brought is to be shared. It’s all about meeting new people, forming new connections and strengthening old ones.
How to approach the event
This is a great day to combine the important themes of food, community and relationship building. Spread the word with your students about the big lunch and see if any are happening in the local area, or whether new lunches can be organised.
Get students to think about why events sharing food might be important. Ask them: what other occasions do we, and other people around the world, share food at? There are many examples, from Christmas and Eid to birthdays, family gatherings and countless more. Discuss with students what the similarities could be: celebration, special food, making new relationships and strengthening old ones.
Next, ask students: why is it important that we build strong relationships with those around us? What does a good community look like? What kind of things does a good community do? Since the big lunch is particularly about making new connections, this is a great opportunity to discuss with students about ways to make friends. You could ask: what’s a good conversation starter? How can we be kind to everyone? How can we find out about them or find things in common?
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Conversation starter
During this weekend, neighbourhoods across the UK organise Big Lunches to bring their communities together. What do you enjoy about sharing meals with your family, friends and neighbours?
