COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (094) issued by COI News Distribution
Service on 24 April 2009
Communities
Secretary Hazel Blears is encouraging everyone to show their
community spirit and get involved in making preparations for the
BIG LUNCH - a national event, taking place on 19th July, which is
hoping to see millions of people across Britain get together with
their neighbours to share food, drink and conversation.
The brainchild of Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project, the BIG
LUNCH is backed by a range of celebrities and business sponsors
and has gained cross party support.
Sharing food is a fantastic way of bringing people together and
the BIG LUNCH is about people coming out of their homes to sit
down tuck into locally grown, made or bought food and drink
together with friends and neighbours in streets, parks, church
halls or community centres.
Hazel Blears has written to all Local MPs to encourage them to
get involved.
It is hoped that street decorations, al fresco
dining and roadside entertainment will be a central part of the
celebrations and the BIG LUNCH organisers are encouraging
residents to take over their street. Local Government Minister
John Healey has therefore written to Council Chief Execs
encouraging them to do all they can to support events in their
area including giving the thumbs up to street closures and making
dealing with any technical matters as smooth and straightforward
as possible.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said:
"People will try and tell you that community spirit is a
thing of the past. Rubbish. It is alive and well and the BIG LUNCH
is a chance for all of us to prove it."
"We all lead busy lives, some of us might be a bit on the
shy side. That means that even if we want to we might not have got
round to introducing ourselves to our neighbours or getting as
involved in our communities as we might like. What better way to
change that than by having a street party. Meeting, perhaps for
the first time, the people that live at number 16, 39 and 52.... .
"It's not going to happen by magic. It will take local
volunteers to organise, local councils need to play their part,
people will need to grow or cook or buy or bake the food, send out
invitations, get friends and neighbours involved. But it will
certainly be worth it - more people happy, safer and confident
about the place in which they live. "
With people celebrating what makes their area unique, every BIG
LUNCH party will be different. Everyone will be encouraged to
share their talents as organisers, gardeners, chefs, artists,
musicians. The day after people will be able to walk down their
street and actually know something new about the people in the
homes they pass.
To find out if there is a BIG LUNCH already organized in your
area or for tips and information on how to organise your own
street party visit http://www.thebiglunch.com
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom