Our Events.

We love a good get together especially in our lovely local greenspace, Overtoun Park. We hold an annual Big Lunch event in June where we invite the community to bring their lunch to the park to eat together, listen to live music, make new friends and enjoy various activities including storytelling, art in the park, and seed bomb making.

We are big fans of The Big Lunch, an Eden Project initiative which aims to get as many people as possible across the UK having lunch with their neighbours on an annual basis in June in a simple act of community, friendship and fun.

The Big Lunch ,Overtoun Park Rutherglen On Sunday, 18 June, Scotland joined in with the rest of the UK for the annual Big Lunch, where communities organise their own BBQs, get-togethers and street parties, getting to know each other and celebrating their communities. Last year, events in Scotland took place as far north as Stornoway and as far south as the borders. Now in its ninth year, the idea from the Eden Project, made possible by the National Lottery, is the perfect recipe for having fun with neighbours, feeding community spirit and helping to build stronger neighbourhoods. So far events registered take place in Edinburgh, Dumfries, Lundin Links, Rutherglen, Newtongrange, Fenwick, Forres, Oxgangs, Newhaven, Glasgow and Brechin. Your community is being urged to join in, put out the bunting and ask your neighbours along on 18 June, and remind them to bring a dish! The Big Lunch is the culmination of The Great Get Together, an idea inspired by the late Jo Cox, in celebration of her belief that we have more in common with our neighbours. Emily Watts, Eden’s country manager for Scotland added: “What The Big Lunch does is give neighbours a reason to come together. Every year more people join in and more communities benefit from the annual get-together. “It doesn’t matter if you're holding a street party, a BBQ, or a picnic in the park – people are the key ingredient. It’s all about connecting people to create stronger communities.” For people interested in getting involved this June, free packs and event resources are available from www.thebiglunch.com. These include invitations and posters to adapt for communities as well as lots of ideas and info to help get the ball rolling. -ENDS- Media enquiries: Laura Sutherland, Aura M: 07764 936 840 E: laura@aura-pr.com Tw: @laurafromaura Interviews available on request Case studies available from previous Big Lunches Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital 07792445 437 infogibsondigital@gmail.co

We’ve held a Big Lunch event in Overtoun Park every year since 2015, all with a great a turn out from the community and skies clearing just in time for the events starting!

The feedback from people who come along is that the Big Lunch is a great way to meet new people and that it helps to create a real sense of community. Children get a chance for free play – climbing trees and playing hide and seek and to try out various “art in the park” activities.

Over the years we have developed the event to include live music from local band the Mairs Family, multiple activities for the children including storytelling sessions, street art taster, and badge making, and free refreshments.

Free Pictures The Big Lunch ,Overtoun Park Rutherglen On Sunday, 18 June, Scotland joined in with the rest of the UK for the annual Big Lunch, where communities organise their own BBQs, get-togethers and street parties, getting to know each other and celebrating their communities. Last year, events in Scotland took place as far north as Stornoway and as far south as the borders. Now in its ninth year, the idea from the Eden Project, made possible by the National Lottery, is the perfect recipe for having fun with neighbours, feeding community spirit and helping to build stronger neighbourhoods. So far events registered take place in Edinburgh, Dumfries, Lundin Links, Rutherglen, Newtongrange, Fenwick, Forres, Oxgangs, Newhaven, Glasgow and Brechin. Your community is being urged to join in, put out the bunting and ask your neighbours along on 18 June, and remind them to bring a dish! The Big Lunch is the culmination of The Great Get Together, an idea inspired by the late Jo Cox, in celebration of her belief that we have more in common with our neighbours. Emily Watts, Eden’s country manager for Scotland added: “What The Big Lunch does is give neighbours a reason to come together. Every year more people join in and more communities benefit from the annual get-together. “It doesn’t matter if you're holding a street party, a BBQ, or a picnic in the park – people are the key ingredient. It’s all about connecting people to create stronger communities.” For people interested in getting involved this June, free packs and event resources are available from www.thebiglunch.com. These include invitations and posters to adapt for communities as well as lots of ideas and info to help get the ball rolling. -ENDS- Media enquiries: Laura Sutherland, Aura M: 07764 936 840 E: laura@aura-pr.com Tw: @laurafromaura Interviews available on request Case studies available from previous Big Lunches Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital 07792445 437 infogibsondigital@gmail.co

The Big Lunch takes a lot of planning and organising for our small group of volunteers but we get a real kick from seeing it all come together, people chatting and enjoying themselves in our lovely park.

Our other events include a biennial Festive Singalong event with a live brass band playing in Overtoun Park’s bandstand, with hot drinks, mince pies and lovely carol singing. We also hold an annual Christmas Wreath making workshop.

Free Pictures The Big Lunch ,Overtoun Park Rutherglen On Sunday, 18 June, Scotland joined in with the rest of the UK for the annual Big Lunch, where communities organise their own BBQs, get-togethers and street parties, getting to know each other and celebrating their communities. Last year, events in Scotland took place as far north as Stornoway and as far south as the borders. Now in its ninth year, the idea from the Eden Project, made possible by the National Lottery, is the perfect recipe for having fun with neighbours, feeding community spirit and helping to build stronger neighbourhoods. So far events registered take place in Edinburgh, Dumfries, Lundin Links, Rutherglen, Newtongrange, Fenwick, Forres, Oxgangs, Newhaven, Glasgow and Brechin. Your community is being urged to join in, put out the bunting and ask your neighbours along on 18 June, and remind them to bring a dish! The Big Lunch is the culmination of The Great Get Together, an idea inspired by the late Jo Cox, in celebration of her belief that we have more in common with our neighbours. Emily Watts, Eden’s country manager for Scotland added: “What The Big Lunch does is give neighbours a reason to come together. Every year more people join in and more communities benefit from the annual get-together. “It doesn’t matter if you're holding a street party, a BBQ, or a picnic in the park – people are the key ingredient. It’s all about connecting people to create stronger communities.” For people interested in getting involved this June, free packs and event resources are available from www.thebiglunch.com. These include invitations and posters to adapt for communities as well as lots of ideas and info to help get the ball rolling. -ENDS- Media enquiries: Laura Sutherland, Aura M: 07764 936 840 E: laura@aura-pr.com Tw: @laurafromaura Interviews available on request Case studies available from previous Big Lunches Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital 07792445 437 infogibsondigital@gmail.co

We strongly believe that events like these are not only fun, social occasions but they are key to tackling issues such as loneliness and social isolation and can play a big part in developing community spirit.

All our events are fun, free and friendly with all welcome. Please see our Facebook page for event details.