The little village of Burn, just south of Selby, celebrated its eighteenth Big Lunch yesterday (Sunday 7 June) and raised over £300 for the local Spirit of Christmas charity.
More than 160 people gathered in a marquee on The Wheatsheaf pub carpark to enjoy an afternoon of 50s and 60s chart-toppers from the band Horse Thief, a BBQ, a ‘retro quiz and a meet-up with friends and neighbours.
The Big Lunch is a community initiative started by the Eden Project in Cornwall, aimed at encouraging people to get together for fun and for charity and get to know their neighbours.
This year Burn was delighted to welcome Katie Wickison-Mapp from the Eden Project to come and see how the village supports the event.
Even though Burn has only around 200 households, more than 100 people regularly turn out and have made it one of the longest running Big Lunches in the country.
Burn’s first lunch was in 2009 and was only interrupted in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, returning with a massive 230 guests in 2022 for the late Queen’s Jubilee.
Even during the pandemic, it was kept going through ‘virtual’ activities.
Burn Parish Council chair, Alice Houlden, said: “As ever, Burn showed it really is a little village with a big heart.
“The Big Lunch is a fantastic opportunity to build on our great community spirit, welcome new residents and do our bit for charity at the same time.
“Thanks are due to a small army of amazing volunteers, Jo and Andy Howdall at The Wheatsheaf and their staff, Morrisons for vouchers towards the BBQ and to attendees who donated so generously to our charity for 2026, The Spirit of Christmas. Well done, Burn!”
Sleepsafe Selby, the charity supporting homeless people, also benefitted as spare burger buns and other items were donated after the event.
