The inspiring people behind our IVAR research report

Connecting with others

Local residents’ concerns about anti-social behaviour were particularly evident on the Mount Pleasant Facebook page, where, in those days, it was rare to find positive news. In an effort to address vandalism and county lines activity that was escalating in the area, a residents meeting was organised with local councillors, community police and members of the community meeting at the local school. Various people expressed a need for a hub where we could easily come together. A local housing association recognised that it is harder for anti-social behaviour to thrive in an area where there is a lot of community activity. They therefore provided us an apartment, like a community living room, which we subsequently named Hub on the Hill.

Our Big Lunch activities offered a great opportunity to bring people together from different cultures, by sharing food, music, and space to have fun together. Furthermore, people met neighbours from beyond their own streets, as they were encouraged to join each other’s Big Lunch events – not only in two of our bigger parks but also at our various Play Street events. With face painting, circus performances, a pizza making afternoon and even a mad hatter’s tea party, we offered something for everyone!

These events really helped to bring together our wonderful diverse community. Sharing food and providing kids play opportunities is a wonderful way to connect with people, especially our refugee and asylum seeker families and local students who would otherwise not have had a reason to stop and talk when passing on the street.

Leading to other initiatives

Setting up and running Big Lunch activities is a collective effort, involving the passion, energy and skills of lots of residents. They are, therefore, an important demonstration to others of the power of communities coming together and what this can achieve. For example, in Mount Pleasant, as a result of our Big Lunch activities (and the with the support of our local area co-ordinator), the local housing association has trusted the community to run the Hub on the Hill safely and effectively.

Furthermore, the Hub on the Hill now provides the organisational umbrella for Mount Pleasant Community ebikes, as well as for the Primrose Hill Community Park. The latter is undergoing significant transformation as a community orchard and creative events space.

The Big Lunch as a helpful motivator

For those of you wanting to bring your local community together and thinking about holding future community events, doing this as part of a wider national programme, such as The Big Lunch, is really helpful. Connecting community events to the Big Lunch creates a perfect excuse to knock on your neighbour’s door. Working together to put on celebratory activities for the community dissolves barriers easily and naturally. The Big Lunch also offers additional support, resources and tips on how to do this and provides a context to continue over time. After a few years of practice, we’re getting really good at it and more creative too!