A nationwide invitation to lunch

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The Big Lunch is the idea of the Cornwall-based Eden Project and aims to persuade people up and down the country to hold street lunch parties on July 19.

Tens of thousands of vegetables, fruits and flowers were used to construct a giant 2,000 square foot invitation in London's Convent Garden.

More than 11,000 parsnips, 9,000 cauliflowers and 80 bananas were used and the produce was later given away to charities and passers-by.

Eden Project chief executive Tim Smit said: "Imagine a summer's day on which millions of us, throughout the UK, sit down to have lunch together with our neighbours: in the middle of our streets, around our tower blocks and on every patch of common ground.

"The food, entertainment, music and decorations we will have grown, cooked, or created ourselves. This will be a day to break bread with our neighbours, to put a smile on Britain's face."

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said she hoped it would become a regular event.

"The Big Lunch is a great opportunity for people to get together and spend time with their neighbours, friends and families. As well as being good fun, events like this help build stronger communities. It promises to be a great day and I hope one that will become an established date in the calendar."

Paul Twivy, of The Big Lunch, added: "Let's all express our talents, get over our embarrassment, shake hands and work with our neighbours and realise that the neighbourhood where we live is the biggest untapped source of happiness we possess. The way to tackle this recession and global warming is through Human Warming."

The event is being supported by MasterCard, EDF Energy and the Royal Mail Group. DIY chain B&Q will be holding gardening advice sessions to giving away thousands of free tomato plants to encourage people to grow their own produce for the lunch.