'How West Yorkshire community became our ‘comfort blanket’ after Jo Cox’s death'
Jo Cox’s death united the local community in grief - and their spirit to keep the MP’s memory alive has kept her family going through their darkest days. MP Kim Leadbeater shares how the inspirational community has helped the family more than they will ever know
Still in shock, thousands of people lined the streets one month after her death to pay their respects as the funeral procession passed through Heckmondwike and Batley, with many adorning the hearse with beautiful flowers.
This was the start of a local community uniting in grief but also looking ahead to honour a woman who cared so much for them.
Two days after the funeral, the first Jo Cox Way bike ride from Cleckheaton to London was held.
By September 2016, the Jo Cox Foundation was established to make meaningful change on the issues the late MP was passionate about, with the charity creating the annual Great Get Together to bring local people closer together.
The inaugural Run For Jo then took place on June 25, 2017, a fun run event at Oakwell Hall in Birstall, held near her birthday, which is approaching its final outing in the tenth anniversary year.
This support from the local community has kept the Leadbeater family going through the darkest of moments.
Jo’s sister Kim said: “Sadly, in the most tragic of circumstances, we often see the very best of humanity, whether that has been in other terror attacks like Manchester Arena, the Southport attack, we see families showing utter dignity, strength and resilience, and communities coming together in a way that sadly shouldn’t take a tragedy or something horrific to happen.
“The things that people have done in Jo’s name - whether that is to remember Jo because they knew her personally or professionally, or whether it is because they couldn’t believe that such a lovely person, who was just going about her work as an MP, and a mum of two small children, that something so horrific could happen - wanted to show that that isn’t what our country is about, that that isn’t who we are as a nation, and they did things totally spontaneously without knowing me or mum and dad or anyone.
“That is really inspirational and it means so much.
“The fact that a lot of those things are still happening ten years down the line, these are things that take a huge amount of planning and organising, and in the vast majority of cases are done by people on a voluntary basis, shows how amazing so many people are but also the desire there is within the country and our communities to do positive things that do bring people together.”
Praising the people of Batley and the Spen Valley in particular, Kim emotionally said: “For ten years, the comfort blanket that has been provided by people locally cannot be underestimated in terms of what it has meant to us as a family.
“There were people that we knew before and there have been many people we have got to know since Jo’s murder, and they have shown the very best of humanity in the way they have supported us as a family and we will be eternally grateful for that.
“The friendships we have made, the events we have attended where people have shown nothing but compassion and kindness and support - it is what has kept us going.
“We will be incredibly grateful forever.”
Kim has given a rallying call to people in the local community to get behind this year’s Great Get Together campaign, as well as advising individuals that we all have a “personal responsibility” to help shape a positive society.
She said: “The Great Get Together is an opportunity to show the very best of our communities, an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate the things we have in common and just have lots of fun. That is really important in life.
“Also, thinking about our own personal responsibility in creating the kind of society that we want to see.
“We all have a role to play in creating a strong, kind, compassionate society and that is the message I would offer to people.”