Great Winter Get Together at the White Horse tackles loneliness
The White Horse Leisure & Tennis Centre in the Vale of White Horse took place The Great Winter Get Together (12-15 January), a campaign run by The Jo Cox Foundation, which saw community events across the UK act as places where people could find meaningful connection, inspired by the late Jo Cox MP and her work to tackle loneliness.
Activities on Monday 15th January included a designated ‘chatty table’ for people who were attending the event as individuals, free hot drinks, a quiz with prizes and drinks tokens for all who took part. Leisure centre staff estimate over 25 local residents took part in the initiative with a few coming along for the first time to meet new people.
While December is often a time of busy schedules and making social plans, January can be a difficult and isolating month for many, with fewer opportunities for connection after the festive period has come to an end.
Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Chair of The Jo Cox Foundation, said: “The Great Winter Get Together is inspired by Jo Cox’s passion for strengthening communities and improving the UK’s response to the loneliness crisis. Each year we are inspired by all those people who volunteer their time to organise an event in their community and thank them for their efforts, because we see the remarkable impact that these Great Winter Get Togethers can have on people’s wellbeing.”
Alex Jewers, General Manager at Better’s the White Horse leisure & tennis centre added: “As a charitable social enterprise, operating at the heart of the local community we recognise the challenges the cold winter months can create, particularly with utility bills remaining high and in the face of a cost-of-living crisis. That’s why we wanted to support the Jo Cox Foundation’s work and do out bit to help tackle social isolation and bring people together.”
Cllr Helen Pighills Cabinet Member for Community Health and Wellbeing at Vale of White Horse District Council said: “I was really pleased that I could come along to the Great Winter Get Together event. Bringing people together in the community is really important and we all had a great time getting to know new people and taking part in the quiz. The feeling of loneliness can be hard for many people and simple activities like these can really make a difference.”
Beginning on Friday 12th January and culminating on so-called Blue Monday 15th January, Great Winter Get Together events provided opportunities for communities to come together and make meaningful connections. The benefits of the initiative are proven: 97% of participants in last year's Great Winter Get Together reported improved mental health and wellbeing, with 78% saying they felt less lonely.