The Great Get Together 2026 – Celebrating Community
The event brought people together at Vale Community Garden for a welcoming day of creativity, nature-inspired activities and community connection.
Although smaller than in previous years, this year’s event was rich in community spirit, with a wealth of volunteers from the local area giving their time and energy to make it happen. Their contribution helped create a relaxed, friendly space for residents to come together, get creative and enjoy time outdoors.
There was plenty to get involved in, including whittling, nature-inspired activities, pebble painting and a range of crafts. The ever-popular wildlife-themed mural painting was once again a highlight, giving people the opportunity to get creative together. Visitors could also enjoy homemade cakes and refreshments while spending time in the garden.
The feedback from the day was positive, with people appreciating the sense of community and the opportunity to come together. The event demonstrated the value of providing accessible, welcoming activities for local residents, creating space for people to connect, share experiences and enjoy being part of their community.
We are very grateful to Todmorden Wind Farm and Staying Well for their funding support, which helped make the event possible.
We were also pleased to welcome Todmorden Town Council Councillors Anthony Greenwood and Rachel Rea, and Oscar Seville-Leach, Calderdale Councillor for Todmorden West.
A special thank you goes to all the volunteers, contributors and everyone who came along to support the day. We would also like to thank volunteer Eric for capturing the event through his photographs.
The Great Get Together is a reminder that the value of a community event is not measured by its size, but by the connections it creates and the people who come together to make it happen.
The Great Get Together 2025 – Bigger, Brighter, and Full of Community Spirit!
This year’s Great Get Together was our most vibrant yet, bringing people of all ages together across local venues. Thanks to the growing support of local volunteers, community groups, and organisations, the day was bursting with energy, creativity, and connection.
Alongside much-loved favourites like intergenerational sports, fitness tasters and food stalls, we introduced new activities for 2025, including circus skills workshops, live performances, sumo wrestling and a variety of creative painting sessions – from tote bags and t-shirts to pebbles and a community mural. These additions made the event richer and more inclusive, with something for absolutely everyone.
We’re especially grateful for the generous funding support from Todmorden Town Council and CultureDale, which helped us keep activities free and refreshments affordable, ensuring the event remained accessible to the whole community.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the dedicated planning team, all the incredible volunteers, facilitators, local businesses, organisations, and of course, our wonderful community for showing up with enthusiasm, kindness, and joy. Together, we created a day full of smiles, laughter, and memories – a true celebration of what it means to come together.
The Great Get Together 2024 – what a day!
https://active.calderdale.gov.uk/post/great-get-together
This event brought our community together across four venues spanning a mile from Portsmouth Recreation Ground to Vale Baptist Church. The day was packed with activities for all ages – from intergenerational sports, treasure hunts, fitness tasters, arts and crafts, and food stalls.
What started as a few ideas soon grew, thanks to the incredible support of local businesses, residents, and community groups, who helped expand the range of activities on offer. Thanks to funding from CultureDale’s Year of Culture 2024: Activation Fund and contributions from local businesses, we were able to keep activities free and refreshments free or low-cost. Subsidised £1 ice creams and a shuttle bus for easier access between venues proved especially popular – with plenty of smiles along the way!
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped make the event such a success – our fantastic event planners and volunteers, facilitators, venues, and of course YOU – our community. Your energy, enthusiasm, and support made this day one to remember.
