Big Lunch Community Walk visits to see how local group brings community together

The Big Lunch Community Walk visits Orkney today (Tuesday) on a mission to shine a light on the amazing residents bringing people together at the heart of their communities.

Part of a 17-day UK wide journey across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the Big Lunch is about millions of people getting together to share food and get to know each other better.

An idea from the Eden Project, made possible by the National Lottery, every year, over 6 million people take to their streets, gardens and neighbourhoods to join in for a few hours of community, friendship and fun on June 1 and 2.

In Kirkwall, the walkers will put up a gazebo on Kirk Green to talk to passers by about the Big Lunch.

They will then visit Voluntary Action Orkney to hear about their National Lottery funded befriending service, which supports people over the age of 60 to support to stay in own home for longer and currently has 21 older people matched with volunteers of all ages.

They will end their day by heading to Burray to meet the BALL (Be Active Long Life) group to hear about their plans for a Big Lunch this year.

Linsey Drever, adult befriending service co-ordinator, said: “We’ve done Big Lunches In the past and made new friendships and contacts through them. I really like the way that the Eden Project are trying to knit  communities together, so it’s great to be included on the Big Lunch community walk.”