TEARS FOR JO

Jo Cox family join in with thousands around the country celebrating the life of the MP who was murdered a year ago today

Carl Stroud

Published: 16:05, 16 Jun 2017
Updated: 11:36, 17 Jun 2017

THE family of Jo Cox have taken part in one of more than 100,000 events planned this weekend to celebrate the life of the MP who was murdered a year ago today.

Her sister Kim Leadbetter, father Gordon and mother Jean Leadbeater joined 500 schoolchildren to sing songs in her memory this morning.

The family of murdered MP Jo Cox - her sister Kim, father Gordon and mum Jean - joined 500 children to sing songs in her memory this morningCredit: London News Pictures

Jo's sister Kim enjoys a light-hearted moment with school children in her sister's home town of Batley this morningCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

Five hundred pupils from nine schools in the local area joined forces to pay tribute to murdered MP JoCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

Jo's family joined forces for this morning's sing-alongCredit: PA:Press Association

Nine schools from around Batley, West Yorks, where Jo was the MP joined forces for the sing-a-long ahead of further events over the next three days.

Organised by Jo’s widowed husband Brendan, The Great Get Together encourages members to the public to hold street parties and neighbourhood celebrations to boost community spirit.

In Birmingham today MP Jess Phillips joined pupils at Cockshut Hill School to form a heart-shaped human chain with the word Jo in its centre.

And in Jo’s former constituency of Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire, MP Tracy Brabin, who succeeded her placed flowers near the library where she was killed.

Jo was killed by Nazi-obsessed loner Thomas Mair on June 16, 2016.

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He shot and stabbed the 41-year-old as she was on her way to a constituency meeting.

Her sister Jo today said she wanted to be among "the people who loved Jo and who Jo loved" this weekend.

She said: "I think, for me, this is my way of coping with it and, hopefully, letting them know that, as a family, we won't be beaten by what's happened.

"Also, as a community, it's important that we don't allow ourselves to be beaten by what's happened."

Pupils at Cockshut Hill School formed a heart-shaped human chain with the word Jo in its centreCredit: The Challenge and Press Association

Birmingham MP Jess Phillips joined school pupils in a heart-shaped human chainCredit: PA:Press Association

Tragic Jo was murdered by twisted loner Thomas Mair a year ago todayCredit: PA:Press Association

Jo’s husband Brendan added: "When Jo was killed a year ago, it took the heart out of our family.

"The first emotion was shock, both numbing and shattering. That in time gave way to a grief that remains very fresh, very raw and continues to hit us in vicious waves when we least expect it. But our family has not been broken.

"At a time when extremists of all types are trying to divide our communities, there is a huge groundswell of people who just want to focus on the things that unite us, who want to draw closer to their neighbours and communities.”

He said he was "awed by the scale of the reaction" to The Great Together, with more than 110,000 events honouring his late wife expected to be held from Friday to Sunday.