The Great Get Together will take place from 19 to 21 June 2026, marking ten years since the murder of Jo Cox MP. The weekend brings people together across the UK to celebrate what unites us and to strengthen connection, belonging and understanding within communities.
Led by the Jo Cox Foundation, the Great Get Together is open to everyone and can take any form, from shared meals and conversations to creative, cultural or social activities. Evidence shows that these events help reduce loneliness, increase a sense of belonging and strengthen community ties, making them a natural fit for community managed libraries.
This tenth anniversary is particularly significant. In the days following Jo Cox’s death, communities responded with kindness and connection rather than division. Ten years on, her belief that we have more in common than that which divides us feels as important as ever. The Great Get Together offers a moment not only for remembrance, but for positive action and renewed community connection.
Community managed libraries are ideally placed to support and host Great Get Together activities. As trusted, welcoming spaces already at the heart of local life, libraries can provide a setting for inclusive events that bring people together across difference. This might include coffee mornings, shared reading and storytelling sessions, craft or poetry activities, conversation events, or partnerships with local community groups.
Libraries are encouraged to promote the Great Get Together in the lead‑up to the weekend in whatever way works best for them. This could include sharing information through newsletters, social media and websites, displaying posters and digital assets in the library, or encouraging volunteers, partners and community groups to organise their own events.
A partner pack is available with ready‑to‑use copy, social media posts, logos, banners and printable materials such as posters and postcards. Using these resources can help ensure consistent messaging while allowing each library to shape its own local response.
By taking part in the Great Get Together, community managed libraries can highlight their role as places of connection, conversation and belonging, reinforcing the importance of libraries as inclusive spaces that bring people together and strengthen communities.