London region update
July/August edition
Big Lunch
It’s not too late to pack a picnic and join your friends and neighbours in the biggest community event in the country.
The Big Lunch takes place on Sunday 18 July and will be a celebration of food, friendship and fun as thousands of people get together to eat, drink and be merry.
There are hundreds of planned BIG lunches taking place across London so why not join in and experience a dose of good old fashioned community spirit.
Forces in Mind
The Big Lottery Fund is calling on charities and forces organisations to step forward to run a £35 million trust providing support for former UK military personnel and their families.
The BIG Lottery Fund is setting up the 20-year, independent, Forces in Mind Trust to provide long-term support and advocacy for former forces personnel to make a successful transition to civilian life, including those who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf War.
BIG wants the Trust to focus on addressing a range of problems that some veterans and their families can experience back in civilian life, which can include poor mental health, social exclusion, family breakdown and alcohol problems.
The Trust’s advocacy work willinclude research to improve knowledge of the issues affecting veterans and their families as well as awareness raising campaigns, including peer advice, and advocacy and support to other veterans who might be at risk.
The Big Lottery Fund has been in discussion with representatives from the armed forces, mental health and forces charities to shape the Forces in Mind programme and is now calling for forces and other charities to step forward to formalise their aspirations to establish and run the Trust.
Community Wildlife
We don’t have to tell you that London is teaming with wildlife, from bees and beetles to badgers and butterflies, our urban jungle is alive with all things furry, feathery and scaly.
If you are concerned about protecting nature or want to learn more about the wildlife in your area, our Community Wildlife programme could be for you.
Our new programme will be awarding grants of up to £10,000 for projects that bring local people together to discover, enjoy and protect wildlife in their community.
New London podcast
The pupils at Goosegreen Primary School in Southwark are no strangers to London’s array of wildlife thanks to a visit from the Surrey Docks
Mobile Farm.
Hear more from the project in our latest London regional podcast.
Listen now
Playday
Wednesday 4 August is Playday - the annual celebration of children's right to play.
On Playday and throughout the summer, thousands of children, young people and communities will get out to play at hundreds of locally organised events across the UK.
As well as a celebration of children's right to play, Playday is also a campaignthat raises awareness about some serious issues affecting children's play.
Our place
The Playday 2010 campaign is Our place. Our place puts children at the heart of our communities, and asks everyone, young and old, to help create better places for all of us to live and play.
There are lots of fun and exciting events taking place in London on 4 August.
BIG research reveals funding for Well-being is well on target
Early evaluation findings suggest that projects funded through the Big Lottery Fund’s £165 million Well-being programme are successfully reaching people across the country who are in need of support.
The evaluation involves a sample of 60 health projects funded by the Well-being programme in England, from fitness activities to healthy eating schemes. It reveals that people with poor health and well-being, particularly in terms of physical health and mental health, are being successfully targeted and gives a firm indication that the programme is starting to make great strides in these areas.
BIG’s £165 million Well-being programme was launched in 2006 to provide funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve the well-being of people across England. It focuses on three ‘strands’ - healthy eating, physical activity, and mental health.
As well as national schemes, two major projects are being delivered in London by the Peabody Trust and Well London.
Both the Peabody’s Active 8 London and Well London,led by the London Health Commission, a partnership based at the Greater London Authority, aim to work with local communities in London to transform people’s health through a range of activities and events.
Download the first year summary and evaluation report for free
BIG Magazine
Find out about the Croydon project cooking up a storm in their community and try one of their tasty recipes in the latest issue of BIG Magazine.
Download your free copy This is the fifth edition on the BIG Magazine England. - 3,551KB