A historic lawn will become a hive of activity when a Big Lunch is hosted there this weekend.

The event, hosted by Dover Big Local, is an effort to bring communities together.

It will have family activities, sports entertainment and picnics.

It will be at Dover's Roman Lawn, near Market Square, between 11am and 3pm on Saturday June 1.

Kay Marsh, of Dover Big Local, said: "The Roman lawn is a great space right in the centre of Dover - we can’t wait for the community to bring it to life with kids’ activities, football, cake decorating and more."

The Big Lunch, Funded by the National Lottery is a project held around the country both this Saturday and Sunday.

It involves more than six million people a year gathering in their communities' streets, gardens and neighhourhoods.

It is an annual event that enables people to fundraise.

A total £8 million was reaped last year and £6 million going to local causes.

The Big Lunch has been fore-run by a UK-wide community walk, over 17 days from May 17 to next Sunday.

Teams have toured the country to learn about neighbourhood projects in the places they pass.

Walkers reached Dover on Tuesday and met a town Big Local member in a fox costume.

They visited Co-Innovation a small businesses centre co-founded by Dover Big Local which is a Lottery-funded community development organisation.

One of the walkers, Laura Graham, from Northampton, said: “We’ve had a lovely reception in Dover where local residents were only too happy to stop and chat to us about the Roman Lawn Big Lunch.

"What’s really interesting here is the use of a space that’s perfect for bringing the community together but currently under-utilised.

"What better way to put it to use than with a Big Lunch?”

DBL with Dover District Council, set up of the Co-Innovation at the former Co-operative foodstore in Stembrook. It was formally opened in March.

The Big Lunch is also being held on the day of the opening of a new section of the centre, the Stembrook Lane Shopping Arcade.

Fellow walker Carole Wright, from London said: “It was great to visit Co-Innovation and see it thriving just a few months after opening. The work they are doing to transform their community is inspiring and their enthusiasm is infectious.”

Earlier this year a OnePoll survey by the event's organisers showed that of more than 4,000 people, 72% didn't feel they knew their neighbours well.

And one in five didn't even know their names.

For details on The Big Lunch visit the website thebiglunch.com or call 0845 850 8181.

For the local organisers visit doverbiglocal.org.uk