WAY's Big Picnic Weekend 2025

May 2025

---

The weather was beyond kind for WAY’s Big Picnic weekend, encouraging more than 550 WAY members, friends and family to roll out their picnic blankets at 36 picturesque locations across the country – from Carmarthenshire to Northern Ireland and from Glasgow to Cornwall. Members from Oxford even got on board a boat for their picnic, after enjoying a guided bus tour during last year’s Big Picnic weekend!

WAY’s Big Picnic weekend is a once-a-year opportunity for WAY members, volunteers, friends and family to meet up with friends old and new and to showcase WAY’s peer support.

National Volunteer Manager Veronica Currie said: “What a wonderful weekend for our Big Picnics! The sun shone and people connected up and down the country under WAY-blue skies!”

Veronica went along to the Belfast Big Picnic along with 50 other WAY members, friends and family on Saturday and told us: 

“Despite being to several picnics over the years, the kindness, support and compassion between members never ceases to amaze me – a true example of peer-to-peer support in action. A huge thank you goes out to all those who hosted a picnic for their area this year – volunteers and members alike! And thanks as well to everyone who went along to join in the fun.”

Merseyside WAY member Carys told us: “It was perfect weather and so lovely to see all the kids playing together. We had such a fun and relaxed Big Picnic. I’m not sure where I’d be without the fabulous friends I have made and continue to make through WAY.”

---

Big Picnic organiser Alison from the North East of England said: “My advice to anyone thinking of organising events or even next year’s Big Picnic is to go for it. You get to meet so many amazing people and can increase your own support network.”