On Saturday 29th June 2019 approximately 200 people attended The Great Get Together event held at a meeting house of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, located near Walworth Road, London. The event was sponsored by the Latter-Day Saints Charities Friendship Centre which is also based at the same location.
The Great Get Together initiative was spearheaded by the family and friends of former MP, Jo Cox, who was killed in June 2016. They wanted something good to come of her death and so started, what has become a nationwide yearly event to bring individuals and communities together (see www.greatgettogether.org/about/). In Jo Cox’s first speech in Parliament following her election in 2015 she said, “We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.” Thus, The Great Get Together has as its theme “We have more in common”.
The day’s activities consisted of a barbecue, games and salsa-dancing lessons. On such a hot day a paddling pool for the younger children was very much enjoyed. There were good-natured water fights between children and adults. A photo frame with the caption ‘we’ve got more in common’ was made available to everyone to post their photos on social media with ‘hashtags’ #moreincommon or #greatgettogether; this allowed participants everywhere to share their experiences.
At the end of the day there were many positive comments, including: “I don’t want to leave” and “I want to volunteer at the Friendship Centre; this is wonderful.”
It was an excellent day in which friendships were made; it reaffirmed that we do have much more in common than that which divides us. It also demonstrated the Saviour’s commandment to love our neighbour.