[cma-l] Big Lottery serves up hot million for community ‘lunch-ins’

[CMA-L]

An ambitious scheme to bring millions of neighbours together for
community ‘lunch-ins’ on July 18th this summer has been awarded
£1million from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).

The Eden Project, the founders of The Big Lunch, have been given the
Big Lottery Fund support to expand and build on the success of last
year’s scheme to involve even more people doing lunch with the
neighbours.

The Eden Project says its research shows that among the people who
took part last year an overwhelming majority felt closer to their
neighbours, safer in their communities and as a result are actively
looking to take part again in 2010.

Sir Clive Booth, Chair of BIG said: “Bringing communities together,
reducing loneliness and isolation and helping to make a difference
locally is at the heart of the Big Lottery Fund’s mission. The Big
Lunch last year helped neighbours across the land build a stronger
sense of community. With this funding and a big serving of community
spirit, we can all work towards achieving this goal.”

Peter Stewart, the Eden Project's Campaigns Director, said: "We are
delighted that the Big Lottery Fund has come in with such fantastic
support for the Big Lunch. The best part of a million people took part
in the first Big Lunch last summer. With this Lottery support, it is
our hope that many more Big Lunches will take place the length and
breadth of the UK this July and we can triple the number of people
taking part.We hope this backing will move us to a point where the Big
Lunch becomes a fixture in the annual calendar, an event that is owned
and loved by the entire population."

More information will be available from 29 March 2010 at:

http://www.thebiglunch.com/

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