We are helping to promote the growing campaign across the city to ensure Newcastle is a great place to live, to connect with each other, to develop friendships, to support each other across our neighbourhoods and enable people to have places and spaces to meet with others, to chat, learn something new or just get together in a safe and friendly way no matter their age.
Inspired by the late Jo Cox MP, the Great Get Together brings together communities to celebrate what unites us, to bridge divides and to tackle loneliness.
Each summer hundreds of Great Get Together events across the UK take place on the weekend closest to Jo’s birthday (this year will be 23-26 June) for communities to celebrate her message that we have more in common than that which divides us.
Great Winter Get Together 16-19 January
This year, for the first time, the Jo Cox Foundation are supporting The Great Winter Get Together which will take place in the final weeks of January (16-29 January 2023), a time chosen as it can often be a difficult time for people with the continued dark nights, cold weather, the financial pinch after Christmas, the current cost of living crisis and the general feeling of monotony and lack of things to do or look forward to. It is also a time when people may feel very low.
Through events and activities, Great Winter Get Togethers demonstrate the power of meaningful connection to reduce loneliness in all age groups, something we know is of great importance to the people of Newcastle, the Council and many organisations across the city.
Get involved in activities
The campaign encourages people, neighbourhoods and organisations to come together in a place where they can connect and meet. This could be through a coffee morning, a meal, or to take part in an event or activity in their local area.
Local organisations can get involved, perhaps developing your existing offer or publicising it to make it more accessible and open to new people or for those who already engage with you, to build and strengthen new connections.
The Great Get Together website has more information on the campaign and you can find more information in the Great Winter Get Together Organisers Handbook.
If you would like to be part in this year’s Great Winter Get Together, or are already taking part, please contact Hannah Morrow at the City Council by 5pm on 11th January.
Tell the Council what you have planned or might like to do, and what if any additional support/resources you would need from them to make it happen.
The City Council can help publicise your activities through Information Now and other social media, link you with others in your area who may want to take action but need others to join them, or offer a small amount of funding for additional refreshments or activities.