Councils are key to Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which will be taking place from 2- 5 June. As an official part of the weekend’s programme, The Big Jubilee Lunch is encouraging millions to get together to celebrate what matters to their community.
As with previous Jubilee and other royal celebratory occasions, we anticipate an increase in the amount of local activity, and call on councils to support residents with free and easy road closures where possible.
The Big Lunch gives neighbours a chance to get to know each other a little better – but its impact isn’t limited to just one day. Research proves that creating small connections at Big Lunches can ignite more meaningful relationships, boost wellbeing, and lead to greater community engagement, volunteering, and community-led initiatives. Nine million people took part last year, so that’s a lot of small connections that can make a huge difference!
“Three out of four people find new friends to keep in touch with”
Our 2017 research, by the Centre of Business and Economic Research, explored the impact of community-led initiatives on societal welfare and the economy, revealing that neighbourliness helps ease demand on public services by providing locally run alternatives, such as neighbourhood watch schemes and local litter picks. The study showed the saving to local public services equated to £2.9 billion, rising to a potential £8.1 billion if all the people not currently involved in community activities, such as The Big Lunch, switched to being involved.
Many neighbourhoods also use their annual Big Lunch to raise funds for local causes close to their hearts, and to garner longer-term support for community initiatives. A total of £50 million has been raised for charity through Big Lunch events since 2016, and almost four in 10 people were inspired to take on a voluntary position as a result of The Big Lunch in 2021.
Three out of four people find new friends to keep in touch with at The Big Lunch, and 79 per cent agree that it reduces loneliness and isolation, highlighting the importance of creating inclusive spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds can find the confidence to make connections. This was vital during the pandemic, when areas with a stronger sense of community were able to react more quickly to support those in need. We need to maintain and build more resilient communities to face the challenges ahead.
Thousands of people are already signed up to organise a Big Jubilee Lunch during this June’s bank holiday weekend. Our hope is that the occasion will not only be a chance to celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime moment in history, but also the spark that leads to an equally significant legacy of community engagement across the country.