A FREE feeding of 2,000 people will take place in Roberts Park, Saltaire, on Saturday as part of a ten-day Christian celebration organised by local churches.

The Big Picnic is part of the Believe in Shipley festival of Christian faith and is open to all.

“Picnics give us a chance to relax and enjoy the company of others in the great outdoors. We want to help everyone to do this on October 1,” said event organiser Debbie Skowronski, a resident of Shipley and a member of St Peter’s Church.

“It has come from an idea I had last year and has developed into an amazing community event backed by 20 local business, from Morrisons to Hopwood’s sandwich shop in Saltaire.

“Websters fish and chip shop on Bingley Road rumbled kilos of potatoes so we could make 100 litres of soup – everyone has really pulled out all the stops.

“We will be making 1,200 sandwiches and 1,200 bags of vegetables to be shared out during the day.”

A hundred and forty volunteers will be handing out lunch bags packed with the sandwiches, fruit and goodies. Their work starts at 7.30am at Wycliffe CoE Primary School.

As well as enough free picnics for 2,000 people, activities on the day will include craft stalls, face-painting, bouncy castles and football.

More unusual events include falconry, zorbing, and welly-wanging. There will also be bands, a Bible stall and prayer tent.

“I couldn’t have done this on my own. There has been an enormous amount of community support and not just from local churches,” said Mrs Skowronski.

“We have had food and equipment donated from all over and even offers of help from people who have just seen our Facebook page.

“It’s great to have experienced so much goodwill and generosity from so many quarters.”

The event is on the penultimate day of the ten day festival of Christian faith, which includes an event presented by the Archbishop of York, who is at Victoria Hall tonight, and a youngsters’ session by Leeds Rhinos star Jamie Jones, Ashton Golding and Jordan Lilley at Hirst Wood Recreation Ground in Hirst Lane, Shipley, tomorrow from 5pm to 6pm.

For further details of all the events in the Festival, visit believeinshipley.com