Rain didn’t stop the fun for WAY’s Big Picnic festivities

May 2026

In spite of unpredictable weather, more than 400 members of WAY Widowed and Young, as well as friends, families and pets, joined Big Picnics across the UK…

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From sunny park gatherings and garden games to indoor celebrations sheltering from the rain, WAY’s Big Picnic weekend once again brought members, friends and families together right across the country. In total, 29 picnics took place over the weekend, with more than 415 people attending – including 236 adults, 179 children and even a few unexpected deer visitors along the way!

Despite some very unpredictable weather forecasts, WAY members showed incredible flexibility and community spirit. From parks and gardens to indoor venues and family homes, the weekend highlighted the connection and peer support at the heart of WAY.

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A handful of picnics had to adapt to the forecast at the last minute, with Manchester, Wiltshire and West Yorkshire moving indoors to stay dry, while Staffordshire and the West Midlands postponed their gatherings to later dates. 

National Volunteer Manager Veronica Currie said: “A HUGE thank you to all who organised and attended a WAY Big Picnic at the weekend. The weather forecast was so changeable this year – but 29 picnics went ahead with over 400 members, friends and families attending up and down the country. WAY is all about community and connection – and what better way to showcase this than coming together, whatever the weather, to share a picnic.”

Making the most of the bad weather

In Wiltshire, picnic plans for 35 people had to be quickly shifted indoors to avoid the spring showers. Members travelled from as far afield as Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset and Wales to join the day, which also welcomed three first-time attendees. 

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“The weather wasn’t the kindest but we managed to party and stay dry!” said volunteer Ben. “A huge thank you to everyone who attended. It worked out so well. A particularly emotional part of the day was being presented with a card and a David Austin rose as a thank you for hosting. I just about managed to hold it together.”

“A big thank you to www.wiltshirescrapstore.org.uk for donating the craft kits for the children,” added Ben. “And thank you to the team at WAY who put the work in behind the scenes. There’s an awful lot of unseen organising and admin that goes into the picnics.”

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Meanwhile, in Bushy Park, members at the South West London and Surrey Big Picnic enjoyed some sunshine and some very special visitors. Organiser Katherine said: “The sun came out for our Big Picnic and we had unexpected gate crashers when a herd of deer joined us! Thank you to all those who came along, it was lovely to see you and we hope to see you at future WAY events.”