The Jo Cox Foundation to ask the public to share experience of the impact of Covid-19
The Jo Cox Foundation in Batley and Spen is launching a new conversation project to understand the issues local people are facing because of the pandemic.
The ‘Community Makes Us’ project will invite people from across Batley and Spen to get involved and share their experiences whilst meeting others from across the area in a series of online conversations. The project will launch with an online panel discussion where a number of local public figures will discuss the impact of the pandemic on our communities. The webinar will be chaired by Jo’s sister and Ambassador for The Jo Cox Foundation Kim Leadbeater and will take place on Tuesday 13th October from 6:30pm – 7:45pm. Rachel Spencer-Henshall, Strategic Director of Public Health for Kirklees Council and Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner are among the confirmed guests who will take part in the online event taking questions from the public about the pandemic.
The Jo Cox Foundation, was formed following the murder of Jo Cox MP in 2016. The charity works to create a legacy for Jo nationally and locally in Batley and Spen – the area where Jo
was born and grew up.Since March, The Jo Cox Foundation has been working closely with Kirklees Council, Third Sector leaders and a number of mutual aid groups to support the most vulnerable in communities across Batley and Spen. As we all face continued restrictions and the change of seasons, the charity believes that one of the most important ways to support people is to provide opportunities for people to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences of recent months and work together to produce solutions and strategies from which we can all benefit.
The Community Makes Us project aims to deepen support for the local community across Batley and Spen. Following the initial webinar there will be a series of online discussions for people from across the area to take part in to share their experiences, identify community needs and develop solutions for the future. If you live in Batley & Spen and would like to know more about the project please email parveen@jocoxfoundation.org.
The learnings from the six month project will be shared publicly and with partner organisations to help build solutions to enable our communities to survive and thrive. Kim Leadbeater said “The Community Makes Us’ project is an important part of the local work of Jo’s foundation. Many people are really struggling at the moment and we need to find ways to support them – which is exactly what Jo would have been doing. As well as the practical support which many brilliant groups and organisations are providing, I believe that by giving people a chance to talk about their experiences and share their feelings we can work together to get through these tough times and hopefully reach some solutions from which we can all benefit.”
To take part or find out more about the project, please email parveen@jocoxfoundation.org.
Details of how you can watch and take part in the webinar on 13th October can be found on social media channels:
https://twitter.com/moreincommonB_S
https://www.facebook.com/moreincommonbatleyandspen
https://www.instagram.com/moreincommon_batleyandspen/
Remember that if you or anyone you know needs support because of the local pandemic restrictions, please call the Kirklees Covid-19 Community Response telephone number on 0800 4561114.