Get a helping hand with your Big Jubilee Lunch

The 4^th annual Big Lunch is coming and Wirral Council is offering a helping hand to residents keen to celebrate it.

Taking place over the weekend of the Diamond Jubilee holiday (2^nd-5^th June 2012), the event is designed to bring communities together in celebrating 60 years of the Queen’s reign.

The Big Lunch is run by the Eden Project. They describe it as ‘a simple idea… to get as many people across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours in a simple act of community, friendship and fun’.

Last year, around 2 million people took part in a Big Lunch, with 19 local community groups receiving funding towards their own event from Wirral’s Area Forums.

This year, Wirral’s Area Forums are inviting residents and local groups to apply for funding of up to £200 towards the expense of running their very own Big Lunch event.

The cash could be used to plan a street party or a meal in a local community centre or scout hut. Ideas for outdoor events are welcome too; residents might want to plan a picnic or barbecue at an allotment site or in their local park.

Whatever your idea, Area Forum funding could help to get it off the ground.

Cllr Jean Stapleton, Cabinet Member for Community and Customer Engagement added: “Last year’s celebrations for the Royal Wedding were a great success and demonstrated that planning and running events can bring our communities closer together.

“The funds that will be handed out by the Area Forums are a good start for groups that are planning barbecues, street parties or more off-the-wall ways to celebrate.”

“We welcome people’s ideas for the long weekend, the more original the better!”

To find out more and to download an application form, visit the Big Lunch web page. You can also contact the Council’s Community Engagement team on 0151 691 8210 or email engage@wirral.gov.uk