Are we stronger together?

We started with a very simple idea: what if, on one day a year, people came together in their neighbourhoods and communities and shared a meal?

In 2009, led by Eden Communities, The Big Lunch was born, encouraging people to share friendship, food and fun, with an average of 9 million people now taking part each year. Underpinning the idea was an understanding that the 21st Century will present enormous challenges to our society, and we recognised that happy and resilient communities are the foundation on which real change takes place. Research we conducted with leading economics consultancy, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), also showed that neighbourliness delivers substantial economic benefits to UK society, representing an annual saving of £23.8 billion.

Since it began, we have been monitoring the impacts of The Big Lunch, and its importance and relevance is clear. The Big Lunch breaks down barriers, reduces loneliness and isolation, builds a stronger sense of community and belonging and leads to more local volunteering. See some of the research we commissioned here.

“I’ve noticed such a difference since The Big Lunch; everyone looks out for each other now. We run a craft circle and a skill share where neighbours help each other…We have a system for sharing items on our street so if someone needs a lawnmower or a ladder, they simply email and ask to borrow one”.

Helen, Newcastle.

We can only properly care for nature if we understand how important it is to us, enjoy spending time in nature and feel connected to it. Since its origin, one of Eden Project’s key missions has been to help people connect with each other, and with nature. We run a number of activities for different age groups that bring people together in nature to do things to improve their lives, the lives of others around them and nature itself.

Our Early Years activities enable under-5s and their families to explore, play, learn and connect with nature in Eden’s gardens and in the wilder fields of the outer estate. Sessions include nature-based play at Little Eden, baby yoga, Music in the Med, and Explore and Play workshops.

Our activities for young people include creative short courses for small groups of 16–25-year-olds that provide positive, nature-based experiences that enable people to rediscover their relationship with nature.

Our activities for adults support people in developing their connection to nature for better health and well-being. Whether it’s regularly accessing Eden’s green spaces through weekly walks, discovering more about Eden’s plants and our relationship to them in ‘Wonder Workshops’ or taking part in therapeutic horticulture activities to improve mental and physical well-being in a beautiful, peaceful and friendly garden within Eden's outer estate that offers tranquillity and healing.

Our Community Camp programme, running since 2013, offers support, learning and connection to those who want to do more in their communities. They are immersive events, taking place both face-to-face and online, helping community-minded people UK-wide to take their own projects and ideas forward. 

Connections made through Community Camps are deep and long-lasting, and the practical support, inspiration and learning lead to concrete action. Over 90% of people who have been through a Community Camp have gone on to deliver more within their community, and over 1,000 new initiatives or projects have started as a direct result of Community Camps so far.

Attending a Community Camp can be a life-changing experience. 93% of participants say that Camp made a lasting impression on them and their motivation to do something for their community – setting people up for a lifetime of positive community action.

A Community Nature Trail is a local map of spaces, activities, events, and projects that bring you closer to nature. It’s created by the community, for the community. Whether it’s permanent, for a season, or just for a weekend, a Community Nature Trail is a great way to showcase local social, cultural, and recreational activities involving nature.

We’ve partnered with community event experts More Human to make it easy to build, promote, and share your nature trail with their handy website. Depending on the complexity of your trail, you can create it in 30 minutes. More Human can help you with the process. We’ll then also include your trail on our central Community Nature Trails map. 

Creating greener communities benefits us all. Spending time outside helps our physical and mental health, while shared green spaces bring people from all backgrounds together.