The Big Lunch
The Big Lunch is the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours and communities, with millions of people coming together for a few hours of food, friendship, and fun. It connects people and encourages friendlier, safer communities where people start to share more – conversations, ideas, skills, resources and friendship.
Pop the date in your calendar – The Big Lunch 2024 will take place on 1 – 2 June. The 2024 pack will be released soon, but if you’re keen to get ahead with planning, the 2023 pack is still available, as well as all of our Big Lunch at Christmas resources.
The Big Lunch at Christmas
The Big Lunch brings millions of people together to share friendship, food and fun as the UK’s annual celebration for neighbours and communities.
This festive season, we’re encouraging everyone to gather neighbours, friends, colleagues or volunteers to celebrate our connections and keep our communities cosy. We’ve got all the resources you need to host a Big Lunch at Christmas, from invites to cracker templates and food flags.
Organise a Big Lunch
Simple steps to help you get started.
Month of Community
Come together to celebrate what makes our communities great
Spread joy this winter
Join us and keep our communities connected and cosy over the darker…
Winter warmer recipes
Spread joy and keep cosy over the colder months with our selection…
The Big Lunch in numbers
0.00 m
people joined in this year – that’s 1 in 5 of the population!
0 %
of Big Lunch organisers say that it has had a positive impact on their community
£ 0 m +
raised at Big Lunch events since 2018, with around 3/4 going to local causes
Those who make The Big Lunch possible
As a charity, our varied programme of activities and events, including The Big Lunch, is only possible due to the continuing generosity of our partner organisations.
A royally good weekend!
We invited everyone to be part of history with the Coronation Big Lunch, which took place from 6-8 May to celebrate His Majesty The King and Her Majesty the Queen’s Coronation. Thousands of events were held to share friendship, food and fun across the world. Communities across the UK celebrated incredible spirit and connection.
The impact of the Coronation Big Lunch reaches far beyond the weekend, with new friendships being made, money raised for local causes and neighbours feeling more connected to where they live.
If you’d like to download the Coronation Big Lunch pack as a commemorative item, it’s still available.
“Right away, I knew it was a great idea. We live in a close where people didn’t really know each other… it’s all about just talking to your neighbours. After, you can see the brilliant things that come from that.”
Lynda, Essex
Free teaching resources
Working with children? We have a great selection of resources for Key Stages 1 to 4 to help you involve pupils at different ages and stages.
A Big Lunch at Christmas brings the community together
How a local charity brings the community together with a shared Christmas meal.
Five ways organisations can join in with The Big Lunch at Christmas
There are lots of ways your business, school or community group can join in with The Big Lunch at Christmas and help spread warmth…