The Big Jubilee Lunch has been officially launched as communities around the UK get ready to celebrate this summer.
A special tea party, in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, heralded the formal beginning of party celebrations. Hosted by TV star and Big Lunch ambassador, Mel Giedroyc, it brought together organisers of past ‘Big Lunch’ events to pass on tips to people who want to get involved to mark the Jubilee this summer as the UK enjoys a four day bank holiday for the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s reign.
Mel Giedroyc got the party started by raising a toast with a cup of tea before encouraging everyone else to do the same, saying ”it’s a brilliant way for neighbours, communities, streets, to come together, eat some food but the point is for communities to get together and celebrate.”
The Big Lunch, whose patron is the Duchess of Cornwall, has been encouraging communities to come together for a special day of sharing food and stories every year since it was established in 2009 by Eden Project Communities. In 2012, it helped co-ordinate many of the community celebrations marking the Diamond Jubilee. Now, it is encouraging people around the UK to hold a Platinum Party for The Queen.
A host of resources is now available to support communities who want to hold a street party or local event with postal packs, obtained via the Big Lunch website, already proving popular.
Several experienced organisers were at the launch celebrations at the Palace to share their secrets to success. Neelam Aggarwal, a Big Lunch organiser from Northampton said ”I think it’s a great way to come together and celebrate the Royal Family, I think, and it’s such a huge milestone this year…..any excuse to party, that’s what it is.”
London Big Lunch co-ordinator, Sylvia Wachuku-King, said ”Once you start going around and telling people about it they say, ‘oh, ok, I will do this, well, I cannot cook but I will bring the table” while Selwyn Johnston from Northern Ireland emphasised ”you can have a small private affair, with your own street, your own community, or you can go much bigger, link in with your council, your parish, your church, with your school, with a band, have some fun.”
The Big Jubilee Lunch will run from June 2nd to June 5th 2022. Resources can be found on its official website.
