The tropical rainforest Big Lunch was designed to welcome Brutus and make him feel at home, celebrating the simple idea at the heart of The Big Lunch, that everyone is welcome at the table. This was followed by the launch of the first Eden Project Flower Count. Three-year-old William and four-year-old Reed helped feed Brutus giant leaves and a flower-topped cake specially created for the occasion. As a vegetarian dinosaur, Brutus enjoyed the plant-based treats as guests came together to share food, friendship and fun.
Brutus, from Dinosaur World Live, may already be familiar to some Eden followers. Last month, he and his friends sparked widespread speculation after reports that movement sensors in the Rainforest Biome had been triggered by something not matching any known species housed there. The mystery was later revealed to be Brutus and his dinosaur friends, who will return to Eden as part of this summer's dinosaur experience running from 25 July to 6 September.
The celebrations then moved outdoors, where two of Brutus's smaller dinosaur friends helped launch the first-ever Eden Project Flower Count. Joined by staff and children, including Reed and William, they recorded flowers in bloom as part of a new annual citizen science project.
The Eden Project Flower Count aims to build a long-term picture of how climate change and weather patterns may be affecting flowering times across Eden's outdoor gardens. By recording what is flowering each year, Eden hopes to create a valuable record that can help track changes over time.
The event marks the start of a special weekend of community action at the Eden Project, where visitors are invited to swap their entry fee for hands-on volunteering activities as part of The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out weekend.
Activities include pollinator tracking, bug hotel building, planting with Eden's horticulture team, pot making, sunflower seed planting, kindness card making and taking part in the Flower Count. Visitors who pre-book onto a volunteering activity will receive free entry to Eden for the day and be invited to enjoy a Cornish pasty Big Lunch, bringing together visitors, volunteers and staff to share food, friendship and conversation. Places are limited and advance booking is essential via
www.edenproject.com/taster
Lindsey Brummitt, Programme Director at the Eden Project, said:
“At the heart of The Big Lunch is a simple idea – that everyone is welcome at the table and the dinosaur Big Lunch was a joyful celebration of that! From sharing lunch with neighbours to sharing lunch with a Triceratops, it’s all about bringing people together, having fun and making new connections.
"The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up for the first time this year, and we'd love people to join us at Eden this weekend. Whether you're trying volunteering for the first time, taking part in the Flower Count or simply sharing a pasty and a chat, there's a place for everyone.”
Alice Cooper, whose son William took part in the event, said:
"William was absolutely thrilled to meet Brutus and help feed him. Seeing his face light up was wonderful, and it was lovely to be part of something that brought so many people together.
"What I really loved was how welcoming it felt. Everyone was chatting and joining in, and taking part in the Flower Count together was a fun way to connect with nature and with other people. It felt like a really special community event."
The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up for the first time this year to create the UK's biggest weekend of community, encouraging people to connect with others, lend a hand and make a difference where they live. For more information visit www.thebigdo.com
