FAQs

Your get together can look however you want. If you are looking for inspiration, you could get creative with gingham decorations inspired by The Great Get Together branding. In Jo’s constituency of Batley and Spen, we’ll be decorating a street party in the centre of the town with a gingham tablecloth, so we’d love you to also get creative with gingham decorations.

The Big Lunch also has tips and ideas for making your own decorations.

In Jo’s constituency of Batley and Spen, we’ll be decorating a street party in the centre of the town with a gingham tablecloth, so we’d love you to also get creative with gingham decorations.

For the final weeks, we’re planning to show a map of all public events. Each host will be able to choose whether their event is private or public. Stay tuned for more!

If you request a pack by post, you’ll receive it within a few weeks of signing up. We will also be sending occasional tips, ideas and reminders by email to those who sign up. We will not be asking for donations.

The Great Get Together is about bringing people together, and you’re welcome to use it as a way of fundraising for a good cause.

Please do! We’d recommend still signing up for a kit as it’s full of stickers and ideas for what to do.

Not at all! The idea for The Great Get Together is about bringing communities together to celebrate what we have in common. It has cross party backing and is supported by some of the most prominent Remain and Brexit campaigners, but it is completely outside of party politics and the Brexit debate.

Of course! The most important thing is bringing people together, so if the date doesn’t suit you go ahead and choose another date.

Some get together’s will be invite only – but others will be bigger and open to the public. We’ll have a list of ones near you closer to the time. Sign up here and we’ll keep you posted.

Yes – of course. We can only post packs to UK residents, but you can get all the information online by signing up and asking for a digital pack here.

Yes, you can. Find out how here: https://greatgettogether.org/partners

Lots of schools are already involved – everything from special assemblies to themed lunches. You can find out more here: https://www.greatgettogether.org/organisations/schools

Not from us – sorry. You don’t need to spend loads of money to have a great day. If you do need a little bit of money – for decorations or equipment hire, you could ask people to contribute through a traditional ‘whip-round’ or run a small crowdfunding campaign.

For funding larger projects or ongoing community groups, see our partner The Big Lunch’s advice on finance and funding.

It depends on the type of event you’re organising; where you’re holding it and who’s invited. For small events in private spaces you won’t. If you’re closing your road, you’ll need insurance, and if it’s a bigger event where, for example, you’re selling food or putting up a stage for music or a bouncy castle, then further precautions will be necessary. Always speak to your local authority and explain your plans. See The Big Lunch’s advice on insurance if you’d like more information.

Common sense applies. Set up your BBQ somewhere safe and have one chef in charge, not a free for all. It’s also a good idea to have a first aider there on the day.

Organising small, private street parties and community events should be simple and things like risk assessments, licenses and health and safety certificates are not normally required. In guidance from the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Food Standards Agency has confirmed that one-off events such as street parties aren’t usually considered food businesses, so there are no forms to fill in and you don’t need a food licence.

Everyone involved should take responsibility for themselves and those preparing food should make sure they do so in a clean and hygienic environment. If you are planning a larger event that anyone can attend or if you are selling tickets to your event, then there may be other processes and requirements that you need to consider. Your local council will be able to advise you on this

Not at all! If you can’t close your road, you can hold your Big Lunch on any patch of land or any building such as a communal, private or pub garden, a local park, driveway, school playground, church, mosque, synagogue, gurdwara or temple — wherever you want, as long as you have the relevant permissions.

If you do want to close your road for a street party you will need to get in touch with the Highways Department at your local council to find out how to go about it. It’s best to do this as early as possible as some councils require up to 12 weeks’ notice.

Your council may ask you to pay fees for closing the street, however new guidance from Department for Communities and Local Government states that you are not required by law to pay a charge for closing your road (for small residential street parties in England) but some councils may need to cover the costs for admin and planning. You should ask your council what the charges are for.

Our friends at The Big Iftar are hosting a number of get togethers and are encouraging others to do so too. Jo’s sister Kim will be spending the end of her day at a mosque in Batley where they will be breaking the fast in honour of The Great Get Together. Check out the Big Lunch’s website for ideas on how to host a lunar lunch.

Across the country get togethers are being arranged that won’t feature food too! For example we have heard about a variety of different events such as sports games, literary and music festivals.’

We hope people will come together in whatever way suits them and their community, whether by breaking fast and sharing a meal together or through games, music, sport or other activities. We encourage people to get creative and hold an event that suits their own community: there’s no right or wrong way to do it!

Yes, please! Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and once you have made a few plans you can share your story, photos and videos with us using the hashtags #greatgettogether  #letsgettogether  #moreincommon