Big thank you from Lisburn.com

Big Lunch held in Crumlin

Some locals taking part in the Big Lunch in Crumlin

Some locals taking part in the Big Lunch in Crumlin

A BIG lunch was held in Crumlin one of 300 all held as part of the Big Lunch 2011 throughout Northern Ireland.

More than a million people sat down across the UK for The Big Lunch on Sunday June 5 to enjoy a few hours of friendship and fun with their neighbours. Over 300 Big Lunches were registered to take place in Northern Ireland.

Matthew and Christopher Peddle taking part in the Big Lunch in CrumlinThe third annual Big Lunch, say organisers the Eden Project, was predicted to be the biggest yet as all corners of the UK broke out the bunting in a simple act of community.

In towns and villages all over Northern Ireland, residents got together with their neighbours to create their very own Big Lunches.

The Big Lunch is a very simple idea from the Eden Project.

Its aim is to get, as many of the 61 million people in the UK as possible to have lunch with their neighbours. This year a record number of people took part in the one-day event, with more than double the number of registered lunches than last year.

Since starting in 2009, thousands of Big Lunches have taken place in all kinds of communities and the best part of a million people get involved each year.

Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie, organiser of a Big Lunch in Crumlin, and minister of the First Presbyterian Church, said: "It was pouring with rain in Crumlin on Sunday, but it didn't detract from an excellent 'get-together,' a bite to eat and a 'Songs of Praise' service that brought people together from across the community.

'The feedback from participants was fantastic, with many people commenting that we should 'do more of the same'.

"I'm certainly very keen to do just that, perhaps with a bigger event next year.

"Its so important that churches engage fully with excellent initiatives like 'The Big Lunch' whilst also exploring other ways of bringing people together," he said.

Ulster Star
24/06/2011