BIG LUNCH

Once a year, in Eden’s true optimistic style, we ask the nation to suspend disbelief, to unstiffen that upper lip, and discover how many good, talented and interesting people there are in their neighbourhood. In 2009 we began an annual tradition, earmarking one Sunday each summer as the people’s ‘Big Lunch’, when we encourage them to open curtains, doors and minds.

Not just to put a smile on Britain’s face, but to help sow the seed of friendships that can be enjoyed for the rest of the year. Because we know at the Eden Project that when people get together they become more positive and start to sort out some serious stuff. We also know that talking about all that ‘serious stuff’ isn’t the best way to get millions inspired to join together. So we parked phrases like ‘social isolation’ and ‘climate change’ and instead simply invited the nation to sit down to lunch together with their neighbours in a simple act of community, and let the ‘human warming’ work its magic.