Sutton Community Group serves up an international feast at its Big Lunch event

A community group in Sutton hosted a ‘Big Lunch’ event, serving food from a variety of cultures to over 200 people.

Sutton Community Project, run by volunteers and dedicated to reducing food waste and supporting lower-income households, organized a feast featuring dishes from Hong Kong, Ukraine, Brazil and India.

The lunch was part of Great Britain Lunch, which was attended by millions of people across the country on Saturday 1 June and Sunday 2 June.

The Eden Project, the environmental charity behind the event, focused this year’s big lunch on going green to promote an eco-friendly approach.

Special guests included Jackie Pullinger MBE and the Mayor of Sutton (Image: Eden Project)

Across the country, some organizers have grown their own vegetables to serve on the big day, while others have embarked on ‘ecotherapy’ community garden projects.

Sutton Community Project volunteers took to Facebook to celebrate their success, saying: “What a fantastic lunch we had today with Eden Project Communities – the abundance of delicious home-cooked food from around the world, the diverse community of Sutton, the heartwarming life stories of Local residents and our amazing volunteers who came together for a wonderful afternoon.”

The community project also said it was a “privilege” to have the Mayor of Sutton and Jackie Pullinger MBE join Sunday’s event as special guests.

The Big Lunch initiative seeks to bring communities together to celebrate their differences as well as the things they have in common.

This year, participants from Barrow in Furness to Llandrindod Wells in Wales took part in a variety of activities, from watching an Age UK choir to taking part in boat races and obstacle courses.

Lindsey Brummitt MVO, Director of Programs at the Eden Project, said: “With the election buzz this weekend proves that The Big Lunch is the party up everyone’s street!

Attendees were able to enjoy food from many different cultures represented locally (Image: Eden Project)

“Whatever the weather, people came to share a bite to eat and get to know each other better, with many inspired to be part of the greenest Big Lunch yet.

“As well as coming together to share friendship, food and fun, it’s brilliant that more people are taking positive action on the planet.”

The Big Lunch, which has been running since 2009, serves as the UK’s “biggest annual act of community friendship”.

This year, as well as the big lunch, the Eden Project has started a ‘Community Month’ to bring together good causes for community action.