A COMMUNITY-hero who inspired one of the biggest annual neighbourhood get-togethers in Malvern's history is being remembered.

Nick Harmer, who died of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), a form of lung disease on December 20 2015, launched the annual Cowleigh Road Big Lunch in 2012, to coincide with the Diamond Jubilee.

The 68-year-old was honoured in 2016 with a brass plaque outside Malvern Studios, in Cowleigh Road.

He enlisted the support of Charly Lowndes, Les Hall and David Head, who all live in the village, as well as Richard Gowen, of Old Hollow, and the team reignited community spirit in the area.

Now the group calls itself Cowleigh Villagers and organisers a variety of events including barbecues, quiz nights and get togethers throughout the year.

Mr Head said: "It didn't take too long - more of us joined enthusiastically. I suppose it came from the Prime Minster at the time David Cameron - he had this idea that everyone should sit down together and have lunch together on one day. He (Mr Harmer) decided since we have some people who don't know each other we should do it as well.

"The first Big Lunch - it unfortunately rained badly but we had people dance in the rain.

"It is wonderful to see all these people being so friendly to each other."

Speaking on her husband, Nick's wife Gill said: "He always liked organising things. He would revel in doing that - really he loved meeting people he knew and those he didn't in the community."

The seventh annual big lunch is taking place on Sunday, June 10 and more than 150 people are expected to turnout.

In bad weather, the event now retires to Holy Trinity Church in Malvern Road.

For more information on the initiative, visit thebiglunch.com.