Streetfeast in Your Area, Get Involved

Posted By : meathppn

Comments : 0

3 Weeks Until Street Feast 2018
Ireland’s National Day of Street Parties and Community Celebrations
Sunday, 10 th June 2018
Registrations are now OPEN. Get your free party pack: www.streetfeast.ie
Over 1200 Street Feasts registered to take place around the nation
so far with 39 planned in Meath!
Only 56% of us know our neighbours well, only 49% of us have four or more close
friends and only 1 in 3 feel a sense of belonging in their local community.
The good news is that hosting a Street Feast in your neighbourhood will make a
difference!
Tuesday 22nd May 2018 – Street Feast are delighted to confirm that over 1200 Street Feasts so far,
are registered to take place around the country, w ith 39 taking place in Meath so far. Including areas
such as Navan, Ratoath, Ashbourne, Bettystown and Trim.
Registrations are OPEN for the 9 th annual Street Feast taking place on Sunday, 10 th June 2018.
Street Feast is an Irish initiative that facilitates social inclusion and community building through the
simple act of sharing a meal with neighbours. The aim is to strengthen our communities, making them
more resilient, safer, healthier and happy places to live. Street Feast calls on people nationwide to
come together at 12 noon on Sunday, 10 th June, in an act of community and friendship.
Founded in 2010, Street Feast was conceived by a small group of volunteers, passionate about
bringing people together through food and rediscovering neighbourliness as the launch pad for lasting
improvements within communities. Since then, Street Feast has grown year on year with over
130,000 people taking part across the country in 2017. The initiative urges individuals and groups to
host a lunch on their street, in their local park, front gardens or driveway – inviting neighbours to join
in.
It is one of the only events in the country where money is not exchanged, the idea being similar to a
pot-luck where everyone contributes something, whether it be a plate of food, chairs, decorations or a
tune. Street Feast will support these individuals and community groups to host their respective
celebrations, which are held simultaneously in neighbourhoods right across Ireland.
Those wanting to take part should register at www.streetfeast.ie and will receive a free Street Feast
Pack in the mail. The pack includes a DIY Street Feast guide, posters, invitations, and bunting. The
website offers inspiration and guidance on how to organise a feast, removing any obstacles to getting
started.
Speaking today, Sam Bishop, one of the founders of Street Feast said:
“As a nation, we have always had a strong sense of community. Street Feast capitalises on this
special quality to create real impact and lasting change.
Street Feast brings neighbours together through the universal language of food and is the
conversation starter to more community-lead projects and ideas. We’ve seen wonderful projects start
out of Street Feasts; MensSheds, Grow It Yourself (GIY groups), festivals, babysitting clubs,
community gardens, resident associations and support groups have all grown out of Street Feast
celebrations. The result is more active, inclusive, healthier communities that are environmentally
sustainable and socially cohesive.
It’s also important that we reconnect our neighbourhoods after a long and divisive political campaign
like the one we have just seen. We need to continue these discussions about our future; about how
we can build resilient and healthy communities that meet the needs of all people in Ireland.”
Street Feast patron, President Michael D. Higgins said:
“We must all by now realise the importance of community, inclusion, creativity and togetherness – all
values that require support and a conscious effort of care, protection and solidarity. Initiatives such as
Street Feast provide exactly that type of opportunity.”
Clare McGonigle attended her first Street Feast Meath in 2017 and is looking forward to celebrating
again. She said:
“Street Feast is a fantastic way to breathe new life back into communities. It sparks new connections
and reignites old ones, I really think that everyone would reap the rewards of getting involved. My
neighbourhood is a much friendlier place to be since!”