Communities across the UK are full of untapped potential, with new research revealing a strong appetite for closer local connections and relationships, and opportunities to get together and support each other. The B&Q Foundation is bringing communities together in Stockport next weekend as part of its first-ever nationwide "BB&Q" - a charity fundraising initiative designed to turn summer BBQs into opportunities to support local causes.

Residents are invited down to the B&Q store in Stockport to enjoy food fresh from the grill while raising vital funds for the B&Q Foundation which will help to support projects that create safer, brighter places for people in the local community to live.

WHERE: Georges Road, Heaton Norris, Stockport, Cheshire. SK4 1DR

WHEN: 12 June, 12pm–3pm

The event series comes as research, commissioned by B&Q on behalf of the B&Q Foundation, found that while many people value their local area, 42% say they don't currently feel connected to those around them and one in five (19%) having meaningful conversations with neighbours less than once a month. The research findings point to clear ways people want to connect: two thirds (67%) believe sharing food is one of the easiest ways to bring people together - rising to 78% among 25-34 year olds - while three in five (60%) people say they'd be more likely to attend a local event if it supported a charitable cause.

To turn this appetite into action and help raise funds for those who need it most, the B&Q Foundation is firing up its first-ever BB&Q fundraising event over the weekend of 12th to 14th June, with events at selected B&Q stores and fundraising activities at all B&Q stores across the UK.

For one weekend only, B&Q will be hosting BB&Q events at five stores, bringing people and communities together over delicious food, all whilst raising funds for the B&Q Foundation. The organisation is an independent charity that supports local communities through grants to help improve living spaces and gardens. Customers will be invited to enjoy food straight from the grill in exchange for a donation, helping to fund local charity projects, while also creating opportunities for people to connect with their communities face to face.

The BB&Q events also help make it easier for people to build a stronger local connection, for which the research showed a clear desire, with one in five saying there aren't enough local events or opportunities to meet others nearby, rising to more than a quarter among 18-24-year-olds. For those hoping to mix with local community, B&Q is also encouraging people across the UK to host their own BB&Qs at home, turning everyday summer gatherings into opportunities to give back, with downloadable fundraising materials available at diy.com/bq-bbq.

The research also suggests that feeling disconnected can have a wider impact on charitable engagement too, with 13% saying they don't donate to local charities because they don't feel connected to their community. While one in five (22%) say they are too shy or socially anxious to connect with their local community, more than half (52%) say they would feel comfortable attending a charity fundraising event on their own, highlighting how shared causes can help people take the first step towards connection.

B&Q is asking customers to donate just £1 to the B&Q Foundation for any BBQs they host at home and is also giving a donation of £15 for every BBQ sold between 5-18 June to the B&Q Foundation. All the money raised goes directly to support local charities who work tirelessly to improve lives in their communities by helping create brighter futures for people experiencing homelessness or unsuitable housing.

Katherine Paterson, Marketing Director B&Q and Trustee at the B&Q Foundation, said: "We're incredibly proud of the work that the B&Q Foundation does and that - in just six-years - it has already raised over £10million for local charities across the UK, helping people experiencing homelessness or unsuitable housing. The charity is ambitious to do more to help local charities and organisations get the support they need and this research shows that people want to support their local community, but often don't know where to begin.

"The BB&Q events will help people and their local communities by not only fundraising for the B&Q Foundation but also by creating an opportunity for people to come together and build the local community connections they're looking for. We're looking forward to seeing BB&Q events up and down the country - hosted by our stores, our customers and communities, bringing people together to make a meaningful difference by grilling for a good cause!"

To find out more, go to diy.com/bq-bbq.