Join the team at the Stoneyfield Green Hub in Rochdale, Greater Manchester to see how they planned their Eid celebration – and think which cultural celebrations you could celebrate at your Green Hub.
Cultural celebrations are a really important part of any community, whether it be Eid, Christmas, Passover, Hannukah, Diwali- the list goes on! These festivals can be a way of staying connected to tradition, religion/belief and heritage for many, and foster a sense of belonging. This is very good for individual and collective wellbeing, as well as creating stronger and more united communities. They can be a great opportunity for cultural exchange and education, especially when celebrating non Christian festivals. In mixed ethnicity communities this can really bridge the gap between people and bring the community together in celebration regardless of religion- a little like how so many non Christians celebrate Christmas in this country. Celebrations are also a great way to promote your hub as a space where people can come together and have fun!
Successful Green Community Hubs are able to engage a wide range of people from the community regardless of religion or cultural background, so in this resource we will also give you pointers on how to make your event inclusive to all.
Step 1: Set the groundwork
Think about your space, is it suitable? Think how many people you would be able to fit, if you are planning to have food/drink/performances/stalls where they will go. If your Green Hub is on public/council owned land, do you need to ask anyone for permission? Write a risk assessment for the event.
Consider what the purpose of your event is from the perspective of growing your hub, and how you can support the outcomes you are aiming for. For example, if you would like to grow your steering group and diversify, can you have volunteers dedicated to chatting with people about the project on the day and taking contact details? If the aim is to improve mental health, could you partner with a local organization who could have a stall promoting their services and signposting people?
Step 2: Engage the community
Outside of your steering group, see if anyone else from the community would like to be involved in planning the event. Make sure there is representation from the culture that you are celebrating. Are there any other community groups in the area that you could connect with? This is a really great way to promote the event and your hub in general, make more people feel included, and broaden the scope for future ongoing community engagement. Also see if there are any wider initiatives happening in your area at that time- we threw our Eid celebration as part of Live Well Festival, which gained us wider promotion, support, and match funding!
Step 3: Plan
Once you have your group together, start by having a planning meeting to brainstorm ideas and maybe make a WhatsApp group to keep in touch if appropriate. Start to exchange ideas about what your event should include. You can tailor these things to your community/celebration, but we recommend including these things:
- Décor. This could be as simple as some colourful bunting or a gazebo- it helps to show visually that this is a special day!
- Activities for all ages. This means that people will be able to attend regardless of childcare responsibilities, stay longer, and be more engaged. We had Eid bunting making which people loved and only needed stencils, paints and white fabric cut into individual flags. It could be as simple as some games for children to play!
- A space for feedback/consultation. This will allow you to put on better events in the future, and gain valuable feedback to allow the community to shape your hub!
- Food! This is a big one- nothing brings people to an event like the offer of food. Make it relevant to the culture you are celebrating- we had samosas and chutneys at our Eid celebration.
Set a date and time for your event. Consider school and work times, as well as closeness to the actual celebration. For Eid and some others, keep in mind that you may not know the exact date/time until just before as it depends on the moon. Allow extra time in this case- if you celebrate too early, everyone will still be fasting!
Break down what you need to do into manageable steps leading up to the date, and consider allocating different tasks to different people in order to break it down, as well as deciding who will do what on the day.
Step 4: Promote, promote, promote
Make a flyer, considering if you need it in an additional language (we had ours in English and Urdu) so that everyone can understand it. Keep it simple, informative and welcoming!
Send this flyer to any contacts you have in the area, ask if you can put up a poster in libraries, community centres and shops. Consider asking the local schools to put it in their bulletin for parents.
Flyer on the week of the event- we recommend not doing this weeks before as people can forget or lose the flyer! If anyone asks about it while you are out, let them know about the event in a friendly way and let them know they are welcome. If it is a diverse area, consider if it is good having someone with a second language doing the flyering to talk to people who may not speak English.
Step 5: Celebrate!
Make sure everyone knows their roles on the day and arrives early to help set anything up. Enjoy your cultural celebration in your Green Community Hub!
