THEY were lucky with the sunshine when St John the Evangelist, Brownswood Park, in the London suburb of Finsbury Park, hosted a Big Lunch. It was organised in co-operation with Transition Finsbury Park, an organisation dedicated to sustainable food locally produced wherever possible, conscious of the world's finite supply of oil and other fossil fuels.

The event was partly funded by the Lottery as a community initiative. Surplus food was obtained from local shops; people were asked to bring anything they had in their fridge that could be added to the meal; and it was all prepared and cooked by volunteers using the church and vicarage kitchens. Thanks to the good weather, the "delicious food" was eaten outside, where there was also music, a bicycle workshop, and activities for the children.

Jo Homan, from Transition Finsbury Park, said that everybody had "mucked in" to help. "We had old and young, black and white: every kind of mix going on. On top of that, everyone was saying how lovely it was to meet new people, because their paths wouldn't normally cross."

The Vicar of St John's, the Revd Daniel Sandham, said: "In a community as diverse as you will find in north London, it's an inspiration to see people working, eating, and socialising together."