Sam EmanuelThousands of picnickers are expected to descend on a school this spring as it hosts a massive picnic event to bring families together and raise money for charity.Sam Emanuel

Thousands of picnickers are expected to descend on a school this spring as it hosts a massive picnic event to bring families together and raise money for charity.

Sprowston Community High School is hosting the event in May as part of its National Family Week celebrations.

The Norwich area has been chosen as one of just nine flagship locations across the UK to host a large-scale picnic on Bank Holiday Monday, May 31 by the government-backed initiative National Family Week.

The school hosted a mass picnic event at the same time last year as part of a nationwide bid to create a new Guinness World Record for the largest picnic across different venues.

This year a giant food competition, encouraging people to bring in food items such as large vegetables, has been introduced to raise money for charity as part of the entertainment at the event.

Malcolm Johnston, community events co-ordinator at Sprowston Community High School, in Cannerby Lane, said: 'It does not have to be Guinness World Record size, just larger than average and perhaps of a food representative to our region. Pieces of the food could then be sold off at the event with the money going to a local charity.

'We hope that local producers and businesses might be interested in taking on this challenge for free, in exchange for receiving exposure on the day and in the pre-promotion of the event.

'Following the success of our events last year, it is a real pleasure to have been one of the nine places across the UK selected to run a flagship picnic to start the week long celebrations. As a community school we are delighted to be involved with National Family Week and promoting the message of bringing families together.'

Jane Nethersole, operations director for National Family Week, added: 'Sprowston Community High School managed to deliver a first class picnic event in 2009 as part of the Guinness World Record attempt.

'They provided a fantastic fun day out for families and, as a result of this, it was unanimous among the team that of the applications to host a flagship Family Week Picnic in 2010, Norwich was a definitive must.'

Businesses or organisations wishing to support the event should contact Mr Johnston on 01603 487895 or 07887 560021.

For more information about National Family Week, visit www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk.