Let's all share a '˜Mince Pie Moment' with someone - and tackle the scourge of loneliness together

The sister of much-missed West Yorkshire MP Jo Cox has come up with an ideal recipe for people wanting to do their bit to tackle the scourge of loneliness this Christmas.
15 December 2017......     Jo Cox's siter Kim Leadbeater launches the long-awaited final report of the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission at a special event in Batley. Picture Tony Johnson.15 December 2017......     Jo Cox's siter Kim Leadbeater launches the long-awaited final report of the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission at a special event in Batley. Picture Tony Johnson.
15 December 2017...... Jo Cox's siter Kim Leadbeater launches the long-awaited final report of the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission at a special event in Batley. Picture Tony Johnson.

Kim Leadbeater is encouraging families to make time between now and Boxing Day to share a mince pie with a neighbour who might otherwise be on their own during the festive period,

Talking about the Mince Pie Moments initiative, Kim, from Gomersal, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “We have this idealised image on TV of what Christmas is like, everyone is sat around the table with their families, with an abundance of food and lots of presents, but actually the reality for a lot of people is very different.

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“So, the idea behind Mince Pie Moments is that over the next few busy days, and indeed the whole festive season, you find someone in your community who might be on their own, who might be lonely, or that you’ve lost touch with, or you want to thank, someone you want to reach out to and just have a proper human connection with.

The late Jo Cox MPThe late Jo Cox MP
The late Jo Cox MP

“Then, rather than texting or tweeting or going on Facebook, sit down with them and share a mince pie - or a satsuma if you want to be healthy! - but just sit down and connect with them on a human level.”

Mince Pie Moments has gained plenty of support across the country, with hundreds of folk – including celebrities such as Stephen Fry and Bill Nighy – already involved. People are being asked to post pictures and details of their meet-ups on social media using the hashtag #MincePieMoments.

The idea for Mince Pie Moments came about after the huge success of the Great Get Together, a weekend of nationwide community events held in the summer to mark the first anniversary of Batley and Spen MP Mrs Cox’s death. Finding ways to address the issue of loneliness was one of Mrs Cox’s main areas of interest and last week a major report on the problem was released in her name.