Eastbourne community activist heads to Chelsea Flower Show

Walkers were invited to tour the historic Langney Priory where a Big Lunch will be held on June 8, before hearing about Sara’s work on edible planting, community gardening and sustainability in Eastbourne.

Sara was then given a send-off by Team England as she headed to the Chelsea Flower Show where she will present as part of the Facebook Garden: Beyond The Screen, which showcases how people connect online to make change in their communities.

The visit comes as part of a 17-day UK wide journey across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales from May to June 2.

Eight walkers have set out on a community focused walk to learn about collaborative projects and neighbourhood activities, while meeting and chatting with the general public, determined to invite everyone to join The Big Lunch on the first weekend in June.

Walking home for their own Big Lunch, Laura Graham and Carole Wright are the England team that visited Eastbourne, one of the 17 towns they will visit in 17 days.

Having invited walkers to hear about Edible Eastbourne and other projects in the area, Sara Latimer said, “It was really special to welcome Team England to Eastbourne ahead of my trip to the Chelsea Flower Show.

“There are so many great pockets of community work here if you just know where to look - both the Big Lunch community walk and the Facebook Garden are fantastic opportunities to shout about that to the wider world.”

Carole Wright, a walker from London, said, “Edible Eastbourne is really showcasing the power of gardening and nature as a way to develop communities.

“It was fantastic to walk through Eastbourne and spot the projects all over the town. I wish Sara the best of luck at the Chelsea Flower Show.”

Fellow walker Laura Graham, who is from Northampton and determined to get more Big Lunches kick started, said, “I was blown away by the beauty and history of Langney Priory and I’m delighted the people of Eastbourne will get to have their Big Lunch in such a breathtaking location. It’s a fitting use for a building that was saved by the community and which is looked after by them with such care.”

An idea from the Eden Project, made possible by the National Lottery, The Big Lunch is about millions of people getting together to share food and get to know each other better.

Every year more than six million people take to their streets, gardens and neighbourhoods to join in for a few hours of community, friendship and fun on June 1 and 2.