Lashings of ginger beer were on the menu yesterday as thousands of families made a world record attempt at holding the largest ever picnic.
Some 10,000 people at 120 locations around the countries, including three in Scotland, took part in the event to launch the UK’s first-ever National Family Week. Celebrities including Antony Worrall Thompson and Sally Gunnell joined in the fun at the main events in London’s Regent’s Park while scores of families enjoyed picnics at Braehead in Renfrewshire, a nursery in Aberdeen and the Home-Start family support charity in Deeside. Kevin Steele, director of National Family Week, said it had been a “tremendous” day. Around 4000 events, including archery, canoeing and treasure hunts, are being held across the UK as part of Family Week, which will run until Sunday. It was established by a coalition of more than 150 charities, community groups, statutory bodies, schools, faith and sports networks – the largest coalition on family issues in the UK. Mr Steele said: “We want to encourage families to spend quality time together and we also want to instigate a debate and discussion among government, employers and organisations about the way in which they impact on families.
“It is about all families of all shapes and sizes. It is not about a particular model of family.”