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The Big Lunch in Charlbury

Charlbury's Bring & Share Picnic was part of the nationwide Big Lunch idea from the Eden Project.

Let's Lunch by Trevor Hardy
Category: General
Posted by: cje

The weather might have been awful but the Charlbury Big Lunch still happened on Sunday 19th July 2009 and people really enjoyed it. We were lucky enough to be able to hold it in the Memorial Hall instead of on the Playing Close. We joined an estimated two million people taking part in The Big Lunch all over the country - the biggest set of open air parties since the Golden Jubilee - the brilliant idea was dreamt up by Tom Smit from the Eden Project. Our Bring & Share Picnic had a special emphasis on local food, low food miles and zero waste giving it a low carbon footprint - how low can you go? Masses of lovely food was brought along and enjoyed by all - dishes reflected what's in season in July, so there were lots of new potatoes, broad beans, and courgettes made up into lovely salads, quiches and pizzas. The Co-op even sold out of local Matthews flour! The lovely fruit compotes were made from local fruit by Louis Buy, Willem and Ann Hackmann who stepped in to help after Louis damaged his foot and couldn't do the crepes.

The Garden Room  The Big Lunch just starting

There was also local food for sale. Lauren helped with the pig roast which came from New Barn Farm Shop and the rolls for the pork were from the Oxford Bread Group made from 40 varieties of wheat originally salvaged from local thatching straw. The rolls for the salads were from the Good Food Shop and baked from local flour. The gorgeous ice cream was the famous G&D's ice cream made from the dairy herd at Worton Farm, Cassington. People pedalled the bicycle generator supplied by Phil and Jenna from SWYCH to make ice-cream fruit milk shakes. Barry from the Three Horseshoes provided the bar and we drunk Cotswold Lager, Wizard Apprentice Ale and Bridewell white wine. Churches Together did the teas and the Charlbury WI baked the cakes. Only half a bag of waste was left after the event - all of it recyclable and the few food scraps were fed to Kath's chickens.

Pig Roast  Pedal powered smoothie maker The WI cake stall  Let's Lunch by Trevor Hardy

It was a lovely relaxed afternoon with Charlbury Morris starting it off inside while the rain pounded down on the roof. Then the sun came out and we listened to great music from Alan Fraser, Geoff Holmberg and John Lanyon playing in the tent in the garden. Then we had a trio of impromptu musicians Pete, Jed and Charlie who stepped in at the last minute. Many thanks to everyone who helped put on this community event, also the guys from the Beer Festival who put up the tents and to CAWAG, Sustainable Charlbury, Churches Together in Charlbury, Charlbury Garden Society, and the Charlbury WI. Money raised by the event will be paid to the Charlbury Community Centre Fund.

Moris Dancing  Morris Dancers  Morris Dancers  Morris dancers & musicians

 


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