Tuesday June 16th 2026
Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill
Monthly column written by Midlothian MP, Kirsty McNell.
Ten years ago this summer my friend Jo Cox MP was murdered at a constituency event. The far right terrorist who killed her believed that he would succeed in spreading hatred. Instead he unleashed a tidal wave of love as people started to hear Jo’s message for the first time.
In her maiden speech in the House of Commons Jo said that “we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us” and how right she was.
Inspired by Jo’s story, the Great Get Together is an initiative started by Jo’s family and the charitable foundation which bears her name. It invites people right across the UK to connect with their neighbours, to turn strangers into friends and to have a blether with people even though we might not always see eye to eye.
It’s an annual celebration of everything that connects our communities and this year I am proud to be hosting Midlothian’s Great Get Together.
The day is free, fun and family friendly. We’ve got everything from a fire engine to dance performances, play sessions to an observational beehive, petanque to penalties, a brass band to a camera club. There’s even going to be a smoothie bike and a dad joke competition since it’s Father’s Day.
All of this is being put on by volunteers from our extraordinary local community organisations. So if you’ve ever wondered what happens in a men’s shed, what walking rugby is like or whether you should become a community gardener, this is your chance to find out.
I believe it’s important to hold these kinds of events everywhere, but especially so in a place like Midlothian which is growing so fast. Every time you look around there is a new development springing up and that can lead to us feeling a bit disconnected from each other. So let’s try to fix that this weekend. Bring the kids, a neighbour, a friend – or just bring yourself and meet someone new.
Jo believed in the power of common action, and in her mind, there was no question that could not be answered in working together. So this weekend, let’s get together to remember her and remember just how much hope there is to be found around every corner in Midlothian.
Midlothian’s Great Get Together is taking place at Danderhall Miners Club from 11 – 2 on Sunday 21 June. All welcome, RSVP here: https://kirstymcneill.com/greatgettogether/
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