Big Lunch a Big Success at Wesgate Community Hall

On Sunday the 18th July 2010, an estimated one million people from across

the UK took part in the second annual Big Lunch, an event created by the

Eden Project in order to bring communities closer together. The Westgate

Community Trust hosted their first Big Lunch this year with an aim to raise

awareness of their campaign to save the Westgate Community Hall from

proposed demolition by the council and to emphasise the importance which the

hall has within the community.

The event was a huge success both in bringing the community together and

in gaining support for the Trust. There were surveys available to determine

the best way to use the hall if the Trust is successful, and many people

were interested in the information boards and architects' drawings of what

a refurbished community hall could look like.

The activities on offer for children proved to be very popular as did the

various performances throughout the day. Artists performed for free and

performances included a set and a song written especially for the occasion

by Loose Change; local classical guitarist Mykl;

11-year-old Cal Hewitt; a drumming workshop from West Track Studios, which

promotes equal opportunities and green thinking; Salsa-Asi; a witty and

memorable pantomime by the Unfinished Business Theatre Company; and

brilliant set by Katerina Georgiou.

Did you come along to the Big Lunch? What do you think of it

as a way to bring people together? Do we need more community events? Share your

thoughts on or memories and pictures of the Big Lunch, Canterbury community and Westgate Community

Hall on www.canterburypeople.co.uk!