A Great Get Together for Inclusivity
On Saturday, 25 June 2022, the Church’s London Friendship Centre hosted the “Great Get Together” event at the Kennington chapel, Walworth, in southeast London.
Jo Cox, a Member of the British Parliament, was murdered in 2016. The subsequent police investigations led to it being categorised as a hate crime. With a desire for something positive to come from such a tragedy, the family of Jo Cox established a foundation in her name (see greatgettogether.org). From this sprang the yearly Great Get Together celebration. The theme “We Have More in Common” stems from Jo Cox’s belief that when we come together as a group, regardless of politics, we demonstrate that “we have more in common than that which divides us”. This belief epitomises what the gospel of Jesus Christ is about.
With Friendship Centre directors Elder Daniel and Sister Laurie Clegg at the helm, a committee was set up. They got to work organising what turned out to be a wonderful day full of games, dancing, fun, laughter, and a barbecue. A similar event had taken place in 2019, when approximately 200 people attended; in 2022 there was a similar number at the event.
The event was further blessed by the presence of the mayor of Southwark, Councillor Sunil Chopra. In his remarks he thanked the Friendship Centre for empowering asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants through the teaching of English, as well as offering general friendship. He added, “There should be no place for hatred in our society. The Great Get Together is a great initiative that allows people to come together to understand each other’s needs and … cultures. Understanding, acceptance, and humanity in the heart can provide a homely feeling to the people who have joined our community. We want to create a culture of inclusiveness where everyone who is joining our country can borrow and share opportunities to thrive.”
He also expressed his appreciation to everyone present for emulating the principle of inclusivity. Along with positive feedback received from attendees, it was evident that the event was a great success in bringing together a diverse group of people for a fun day.