Good Causes

What's on the menu at 'The Big Lunch'?

The Big Lunch takes place every year, and thanks to you, over 110,000 events help to bring communities closer together.

Back in 2009, a few people at the Eden Project (an environmental and educational charity in Cornwall) had an idea. The thought was a simple one: wouldn’t it be great, if, one day a year, everyone stopped what they were doing and sat down for a few hours with their neighbours for lunch. It was a good idea, and so, The Big Lunch was born. Since 2010 National Lottery players have supported this with over £13Million of funding to help bring neighbours and communities closer together.

As social interaction in communities declines, feelings of loneliness can skyrocket. Eden Project’s own loneliness survey found that almost 7 out of 10 adults in the UK often feel lonely. While 10% of people over 65 feel lonely all the time according to the Campaign to End Loneliness. The impact of loneliness is not just limited to communities. Loneliness is hitting the economy too, with the cost of loneliness to businesses at a staggering £2.5Billion . With this in mind, The Big Lunch is a great way to turn the tide of loneliness.

Play makes it possible

Thanks to National Lottery players, The Big Lunch events take place every year and range in style and size. Some are huge, with hundreds of people mixing and mingling, while others involve a handful of neighbours casually chatting around a barbeque. Some require fancy dress and some award people with trophies. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to The Big Lunch, but people are the key ingredient and it’s everyone coming together at the same time that makes it big.

And once people come together, things often start to change for the better. For example:

  1. 88% of hosts feel better about their neighbourhood after a Big Lunch
  2. 77% of Big Lunchers make new friendships they’d like to continue
  3. 65% of hosts want to go on to do more in their community

For more information visit www.thebiglunch.com.

20th June 2017

The National Lottery has been changing the lives of winners and supporting good causes across the UK since 1994. In that time, there have been more than 7,000 new millionaires created and by playing The National Lottery you raise over £4 million for Good Causes every dayΔ.

Discover more
Please wait