Description:

Sunday 18th July saw the second occurrence of a Big Lunch event in Pope Road, Bromley Common. The second ‘Lunch with the Pope’ was, by all accounts, a much larger affair than the successful event that was run in 2009.

The Big Lunch is a one day get together with your neighbours which in 2010 was organised for Sunday 18th July. It can be anything from a simple lunch to a full blown street party with DJs, picnics, BBQs and the like. It began as an idea from the Eden Project who believed that the world can only get better if everyone works together. The Big Lunch gives a chance for different generations and backgrounds to get together share stories and interests, with the very people they are living a few feet apart from.

This year’s ‘Lunch with the Pope’ was very obviously much more geared towards the full blown street party rather than a simple lunch. Entering from the Chatterton Road end of the street you would be forgiven for thinking that it was a fairly sedate affair, beyond the ‘Road Closed’ signs were a handful of kids playing supervised games in the roads, unhindered by cars which were banned from the street on the day. But a glance up showed that the hard work put in by organiser Tony Mitchell had turned ‘Lunch with the Pope’ into what must be one of the most special Big Lunches in the country!

A huge inflatable covering went over the middle of the street, covering a winding table stocked with lunch. This was the kids table, encouraging all the children to eat together is one of the focal points of any Big Lunch. An inflatable stage had been set up in one driveway, ready for the live music that would come on later and a marquee was set up to house magic shows and clowns. The doctor’s surgery car park had a pirate ship fairground ride and there were tours on board a fire engine and ambulance at one end of the road.

The main thing that struck you about ‘Lunch with the Pope’ is the participation. People had decorated and dedicated their driveways to activities such as tin can alleys and art areas for the children. There was a free nail bar and kids ride on toys were available across the road.

There was, of course, a huge amount of food and every other drive had a BBQ going, one was even serving sushi and all for free!

Local businesses had got involved too and it seemed every shop in Chatterton Road had given a prize for the raffle draw.

If the aim of ‘Lunch with the Pope’ was to bring people together then it certainly did that. From the organisation before the event to the day itself, the contributions made by the people of Pope Road and the tireless leadership of Tony Mitchell made the day one to remember. Neighbours having a drink together on their driveways into the night showed its success.

One local resident was overheard to say, “Tony wants to do it bigger next year”. They may all need to move to a bigger road!