People in Leeds are set to come together to make new connections and find out more about the inspiring projects on their doorsteps at a special activity packed event including a mini-Big Lunch organised by the Eden Project on Friday 14 June 2024.
Local partners are working with the eco-charity on the upcoming event, which invites community-minded people to connect with each other and nature. The interactive day forms part of the Month of Community in June, which kicked off with Eden Project’s The Big Lunch on 1 and 2 June, and invites people to celebrate everything that makes their communities great. With partners including Refugee Week, Great Big Green Week and Loneliness Awareness Week, the Month of Community saw over 14 million people take part last year, and £35 million raised for great causes.
As well as offering opportunities to network and share ideas, the event will shine a light on impactful projects already making a difference locally and provide practical workshops and plenty of creative ideas for injecting community spirit where you live.
The free event will take place at Skelton Grange Environment Centre, an award-winning eco-centre in Stourton and nature area where local people of all ages can learn, volunteer and play outdoors through activities ranging from a schools outreach project to a Green Gym and bushcraft skills sessions.
Guests will hear from Toby Roberts from The Conservation Volunteers, a national initiative connecting people and green spaces and contributing to its protection. He and his team of dedicated volunteers will discuss how they’re restoring habitats and bringing people together through their work at Skelton Grange, as well as hosting a walk of the site showcasing the variety of conservation activities that have made the space so special for both wildlife and the local community.
Also on the agenda is a Disco Soup workshop, when attendees can get involved in a fun and innovative way to reduce food waste – chopping, dancing and chatting along the way! For green-fingered guests, a further workshop offers the opportunity to do some willow weaving, or learn how to make seed balls.
Topping off the day will be a mini Big Lunch, with attendees sharing food created on the day and getting to know each other better.
Tracey Robbins, Head of UK Delivery at Eden Project Communities, said:
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring our passion for community connection to my hometown of Leeds. With some wonderful projects already in place, we hope more local people will be inspired to chat to their neighbours, get involved where they live or embark on their own community activity as part of the Month of Community. We hope all our guests leave feel connected and motivated to make a difference in their neighbourhood!”
The inspiring afternoon is part of a series of nationwide community-focused events stretching across all four corners of the UK, from Argyll in Scotland to Birmingham, Rhyl, Camden, Hastings and Portadown, Northern Ireland, with many more stops along the way! Aiming to showcase simple and fun ways to bring people together, the roadshow hopes to encourage more people to become changemakers, with an exciting opportunity for people UK wide to come together and get something positive started in their communities during the Month of Community this June.
The Month of Community in June is all about celebrating local connections and supporting good causes helping to build stronger communities across the UK. The Month of Community calendar in 2024 includes The Big Lunch 1-2 June, Neighbourhood Watch Week (1-7 June), Have a Grow (1-9 June), Volunteers’ Week (3-9 June), The Big Help Out (7-9 June), Great Big Green Week (8-16 June), Loneliness Awareness Week (10-14 June), Carers Week (10-16 June), Refugee Week (17-23 June), Windrush Day (20 June), The Great Get Together (21-23 June), Small Charity Week (24-28 June) and Care Home Open Week (24-30 June).
The Big Lunch, which kicked off the Month of Community on 1-2 June, is the UK’s community get-together that’s good for people and the planet, bringing friendship, food and fun back to neighbourhoods. It’s an idea from the Eden Project, made possible thanks to The National Lottery, and since 2010 it has been bringing people together to create happier and healthier communities thanks to National Lottery players, who raise £30 million each week for good causes across the UK.
Places for Friday’s event are limited and booking is required. To book your place visit: events.more-human.co.uk/event/crafting-conversation-and-connections-in-leeds–with-eden-project-communities-events
Visit TheBigLunch.com for ideas, inspiration and resources for organising your own Big Lunch.
This post is based on a press release issued by The Eden Project
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