Two women stand with their arms around each other in front of a group of chatting people at a street party. Bunting is strung up across the street above their heads.

Community spirit shines through for The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out 2026

Unsettled weather brought out the best of us this weekend, as despite rainy spells, we remained determined to join in with The Big Lunch and Big Help Out in all four corners of the UK.

The UK’s biggest community celebration saw millions of people making new connections, lending a hand and having fun – gathering under gazebos for street parties, grabbing raincoats for their litter picks and making the most of sunnier spells as they joined in to make a positive difference where they live.

Here’s what went on over the weekend 👉

Our highlights

Thousands of events took place spanning the length and breadth of the UK – from a town-wide litter pick in St Just, close to Land’s End in Cornwall, to a community group celebration held in a church on Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

A very special Big Help Out led by TimeGivers at Good Shepherd Primary School with TV presenter Anneka Rice challenged the whole school to a day of volunteering
The National Literacy Trust were joined by Her Majesty The Queen to celebrate their reading volunteers with a Big Lunch at Southwark and Coventry Cathedral
Kiln Theatre in London held a Big Lunch for their Arrive Build Create programme for newly-arrived young people
In Doncaster, people enjoyed a clothes-swap, upcycling and food-sharing hosted by Roots to Resilience CIC
HMS Belfast invited 80 youth cadets to take part in a Big Help Out with volunteer veterans
At the home of The Big Lunch, the Eden Project offered visitors the chance to swap entry fees for nature-focused volunteering activities

Celebrations across the UK

Big Lunch and Big Help Out events included environment-focused activity by charity Clean Cornwall, who braved the weather to run beach cleans followed by Big Lunches across the county. In Southport, The Hearth CIC invited the whole town to a Great Big Green Lunch at Southport Market with planting stations and a baking competition.

Street party Big Lunches took place all over the UK to bring neighbours closer together, including a much-loved annual get-together at Waverley Place, Edinburgh and a giant street party in St Neots, where a market square was taken over by youth charity Inspire Ignite.

Children show their crafts at Southport Big Lunch

Alongside Eden Project, other national charities took the chance to welcome members of the public to try their hand at volunteering – from taster sessions at British Red Cross shops across the country, to open days at RSPCA animal shelters and a Girlguiding celebration lunch at Odeon, Covent Garden.

Anneka Rice walks with a litter picker next to a child - they both look like they're having fun! — Anneka Rice joined The Good Shepherd Primary School for a special Big Help Out

RNIB also issued an open invitation for people to visit their local libraries and help out by reporting back on stock levels of accessible reading materials, while The Big Lunch’s corporate partner Co-op held get-togethers over food across the UK as part of its work supporting community-led projects.

A huge group of people standing in front of a marquee and waving at the camera — Burn Big Lunch near Selby celebrate their 17th year!

Faith groups welcomed the chance to join in and bring people together, too. They included JW3 Community Centre in North London, which held a bagel-themed Big Lunch attended by local MP Tulip Siddiq and the Wirral Dean Centre Mosque in Birkenhead, where people popped in to share a bite to eat and a chat.

“While we can’t always rely on the weather here in the UK, we can always count on communities to make the most of an opportunity to come together, share food and make life a little bit brighter.”
Lindsey Brummitt, Programme Director, Eden Project

A woman wearing a Big Lunch t-shirt smiles at the camera, standing next to a young girl doing a craft activity. — Family Volunteering Club Big Lunch in London

Also joining the fun were students at Northampton College who put on a Big Lunch for older adults in the community and national charity Family Volunteering Club, who organised Big Help Out events in care homes, baby banks and community gardens.

A young woman with pink hair and an elderly man make a cheers motion with a cup of tea — Northampton College put on a Big Lunch for older adults in the community

In County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Ballycastle CIC held an indoor family fun day and in Newtown, Wales, people of all ages jumped at the chance to tuck into a Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed Big Lunch!

Check out the big do map for a flavour of The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out events that spanned the UK!

See the event map

A woman and a little boy look at some plants in the Mediterranean Biome at the Eden Project — Volunteers taking part in a Flower Count at the Eden Project

There’s still time to hold a do

It’s not too late to take part in The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out! Sign up to download free resources to help you plan a Big Lunch or Big Help Out (or both) at any point this summer -why not join in as part of the Month of Community?

Download resources