1

Coffee morning

Book a local place, cafe or community centre to meet with local users, babies welcome. Ice breaker questions and easy introductions work well.

2

Afternoon tea

Similar to a coffee morning but if you’re feeling more adventurous, you might like to challenge people to bring a desert or some biscuits for the table. This is a nice way of introducing the sharing element. It’s a good idea to have a few silly ice breaker games, to loosen everyone up!

3

Summer picnic / BBQ

One of my favourites, everyone meets at the park for an informal graze on the grass! This also lends well to the bring and share idea… everyone comes with a picnic dish to share. Depending on the park restrictions you could even arrive with a portable BBQ. Games might be nice with this event and help bond people together.

4

Potluck lunch or dinner

Perhaps you have a venue in mind that you can access easily and you are a more experienced host. How about inviting people over for a potluck dinner, on a summers evening it could be in a garden.

5

Food waste talk or film screening

This works well in schools and universities, societies, places or work etc and brings a lot of people together to engage in absorbing information!

6

Evening get together at the local pub

This one is pretty simple, reserve an area at your local pub and get folk along for a social drink, ice breaker introductions and a few silly questions work well here, as does the lubrication of a nice glass of wine! Who knows what ideas and connections will flow.

7

Family games

Weekend afternoon gather families and energetic people together to engage in a game of rounders with a break afters, everyone brings snacks and drinks, good for ice breaking and team bonding.