Oadby & Wigston Community Action's quarterly newsletter is available as a download and extracts can now be heard via a podcast through The Sunflower Community Radio. Click on our "Newsletter" tab and then click on the link to Sunflower radio.

At 11 am on Sunday 19th July - Big Lunch day - despite the drizzle, the Friends of Iliffe Park set up 2 gazeboes, put out masses of food, got the face painting, raffle and drinks ready and then waited for the bouncy castle, Sunflower radio, a few other stalls, the sun and some people to arrive.

At 12 noon everything was in place and over the next 2 hours about 100 people came to enjoy food, music, games, getting to know one another, raffle prizes and a little bit of sun!

The aim of getting local people to have lunch together and get to know one another was achieved and the children had lots of fun.

The Big Lunch in South Wigston was a great success. We advertised the event really well around the local area and asked residents to come and join us for food and entertainment.

Around 30 people came in total throughout the event and enjoyed the food that we had purchased, the balloon modelling clown, bouncy castle, face painting and the penalty shootout game that we had organised.

Some residents made chilli and curry as well for the event. The local fruit shop in South Wigston had provided us with fresh fruit at cost and Jacobs biscuits and Walkers had donated lots of biscuits and crisps, Leicestershire County Council contributed face paints which all of the children enjoyed. There was a raffle and local residents including young people volunteered their help on the day which contributed to the success of the day.
We talked to the community about what we do as an organisation and made our selves known through the organisation of this day to a lot of the residents in this area who would not otherwise know that OWCA existed.

The attendees all reported what an enjoyable day it had been despite the odd shower and that they would love to attend an event if it were organised next year.

The Big Lunch for Boulter Crescent went really well, we were all was very impressed with the turn out.

Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves chatting, eating, children playing.

The street entertainer was very good he got lots of people to the event going round Boulter Crescent informing people of what was going on and asking them to join us. He did some magic and made balloon animals for the children and parents.
We had a bouncy castle that was full of children most of the time, a ball pool, an area for children to sit and read that was manned by two girls from Sure Start. We had face painting and gave the children balloons.

The police were there for people to talk to and the children were allowed in the car to set the sirens off and see what was in a police car, which went down very well with the residents.

We had sandwiches, crisps, biscuits, fruit from a local fruit and vegetable shop and cartons of drinks for everyone.

It was a very successful day and we all enjoyed ourselves it was very nice to see everyone happy and having fun, what a great success!!