The Community Potlucks ran from 2013-2017, and were a shared community meal where every month people brought their favourite dish to share. These free events were open to all and supported a more connected and cohesive community.
The Community Potlucks took place from 6pm to 8.30pm on the third Friday of each month at the Methodist Church Hall, on Fore Street. Usually between 30 and 80 people of all ages attended, including children, although large Potlucks at Christmas time attracted up to 300. Alcoholic drinks were prohibited to encourage a family atmosphere. Often, there was entertainment, such as music or a cookery demonstration, led by local volunteers.
For four years, the Network of Wellbeing (NOW) took responsibility for organising the Community Potluck. After this, a group of local people took on this responsibility so that the Potluck was run “by the community for the community”. NOW continued to offer support and help with the hire of the hall.
If you are inspired by the idea of the Community Potlucks, perhaps you would like to run your own Community Potluck where you are based. If this is of interest, then check out our Community Potluck Guidelines, which provide you with all of the information and inspiration needed to run this community event.
We will also be happy to speak with you about our experiences of this event, and provide any guidance that may be helpful based on our experiences. So, if you are thinking of running your own Community Potluck please get in touch.