The Big Picnic at Rodbourne Cheney

Thanks to Shirley of Rodbourne Cheney Baptist Church in Swindon who sent us this report:

Many people from the Rodbourne Cheney and Moredon areas of Swindon enjoyed the Big Picnic on Saturday 31st May – and the weather was good! (Despite a few rain showers in the week before).
This was organised by the three Rodbourne churches: St Andrew’s Methodist, St Mary’s C of E and Rodbourne Cheney Baptist Church.

Initially we were inspired by the Eden Project’s Big Picnic but we also wanted to do a follow up to our successful Community Day of 2013. We serve a God who made us to be communal so we love doing these events. A recent survey has said that the UK is one of the loneliest places to live and yet there are so many people living near to each other. (Even today the news reported a man found dead in a flat in London who may have been there for 2 years – that is tragic).
There was a peaceful but excited atmosphere throughout the whole day and it gradually became busy. There was time to chat as people ate their picnics and we are grateful to the ones who supplied and organised the stalls. Hopefully all the people on stalls would like to be part of the event next year. Many people have already signed up to help.