Get your school involved
The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up on 5-8 June for one big do – a weekend of friendship, food, fun and action. Everyone’s invited!
The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out can be linked to many aspects of the curriculum and it is a fantastic way to bring pupils, parents and the wider school community together.
It’s the UK’s biggest celebration of community – so what will your school do?
Why get involved?
There’s nothing like some food, fun and doing some good to help forge connections and build friendships. We know that schools are busy places, run by busy people, but it doesn’t have to be big or complicated.
- It’s easy to link it into the curriculum – bringing people together, making and sharing food, offering time and support for others.
- It can help to strengthen your school community.
- Lots of schools and organisations use their event as a fundraiser – a whopping £100m has been raised at Big Lunch events since 2015!
- It’s a great way to get people involved in your school’s PTA – why not get people together to complete a task like tidying up a communal area, planting up beds or organising resources? It can start conversations and open the door to something more.
Free teaching resources
Working with children? We have a great selection of resources for Key Stages 1 to…
The Big Lunch lesson: bring the Eden Project rainforest to your classroom
An interactive and lively lesson for Key Stages 1 & 2, curriculum…
Fundraising ideas
Easy and achievable fundraising ideas for your Big Lunch (or other event!).
Activities for your do
These activities are perfect for groups and schools. They can be created…
Hold a greener Big Lunch
Top tips on upcycling, brilliant leftovers and community sharing.
Hold a do in your school
Some handy tips to help you with your planning
1. Plan your do
Form a planning group and work with your schoolchildren to make the day a big success. Have your class list what they think makes a good party and everything they would need to organise one. Encourage them to think about ways they could lend a hand in your local community and what might be helpful.
Don’t forget to download our free resources to get started, including a guide to the weekend, posters, invites and more. The resources are undated, so you can join in and hold your event whenever is best for your school community! They’ll be ready soon – so watch this space!
2. Seek support
If you work in a school, or are part of the PTA, you will likely be no stranger to seeking support with your activities and events. As well as rallying parents and colleagues to help organise or promote your event, check out these funding sources:
- Tesco Bags of Help scheme – awards grants for projects that help the community, including hosting community events
- The National Lottery Community Fund – funds organisations with ideas that bring more people together and build strong relationships in and across communities
3. Food
The Big Lunch is about the simple act of coming together over food. If pupils bring in their own packed lunch, why not encourage them to bring in something special, like a dish they made themselves or a favourite family recipe and make it a talking point?
If your school provides lunch for your students, focus on how you can make it more social. Perhaps you could encourage different age groups to sit together or work as a school to grow something for your Big Lunch – salad leaves grow quickly and may even grow back after you have picked some. You could also tie The Big Lunch into your teaching on healthy eating, where food comes from, or how to prepare and cook food.
If the weather is good, get your pupils outside for a Big Lunch picnic for a nice change.
4. Help out
The Big Help Out is all about people giving their time to lend a hand. We know it’s what makes our communities tick and it helps us all feel more connected too.
It’s a great way to encourage pupils to think about how they could support their local community and spend a bit of time doing something good. That might be a school litter pick, or perhaps writing cards for people on their own. There are lots of ways to foster that community spirit!
5. Fundraise
Since 2015, over £100m has been raised for good causes at Big Lunch events. How incredible is that!
As a charity, our mission is to demonstrate and inspire positive action for the planet.
By fundraising for the Eden Project, you will help us continue our work in taking positive action for people and planet. Your school will help us bring nature back, build stronger communities and create a more sustainable future.
We’ve come up with some inspired ideas to get your fundraising on its way – from dog shows to quizzes, and cake stalls to scavenger hunts, there is something here for everyone!
6. Activities and teaching resources
We’re working on some teaching resources to help you with your big do. In the meantime, you can see resources from previous years.
We’ve also got a great range of activities and ideas for the day.
To include your wider community in your do, why not see if there are any local artists, performers or story-tellers that you can invite to take part and provide some entertainment or activities as part of your day? Or, team up with a local charity or community group and set everyone to work for a good cause. A litter pick is a great way to get everyone involved in tidying up the community!
7. Month of Community
You can hold your do any time in June, which is the Month of Community. Or on any date that works for your school community – it’s the getting together that counts! The Month of Community is a time to come together to celebrate everything that makes our communities great.
“This was a truly wonderful day, which brought our school community together.”
Deborah, Inglewood Community Nursery and Infant School Big Lunch
Where next?
Free teaching resources
Working with children? We have a great selection of resources for Key Stages 1 to…
Activities for your do
These activities are perfect for groups and schools. They can be created…
The big do
The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up!
Month of Community
Come together to celebrate what makes our communities great