A GoFundMe page set up in tribute to the Batley and Spen Labour MP Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed outside her constituency surgery on Thursday, has surpassed £800,000.
Just two days after its launch, donations continued to flood in as a palpable manifestation of the public’s horror over her killing. More than 25,000 individual contributions had been made by early Monday morning.
At her family’s request, the money raised will be shared between three of her favourite charities: the Royal Voluntary Service, which helps to combat loneliness in her West Yorkshire constituency; the White Helmets, volunteer search and rescue workers in Syria; and Hope Not Hate, which seeks to challenge hate and extremism in local communities across the UK.
A post on the page GoFundMe/jocox, set up by friends and family, said: “We are deeply humbled by the incredible wave of support this page has received.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, shared and mentioned this fund to friends, it is truly astounding to feel this level of solidarity and love for Jo and the values she stood for.
“Please keep spreading the word far and wide. Together we are helping three causes that held a special place in Jo’s heart. That is a wonderful legacy, and one you are all part of.”
Nick Lowles from Hope Not Hate said the charity was overwhelmed by the public’s support. He added that it was still coming to terms with Cox’s “dreadful killing” and that thoughts were with her husband, Brendan, and their two small children “at this dark and terrible time”.
“Whatever funds we receive from donations in Jo’s memory will be used to support our work in exposing and combatting extremism, and in strengthening our many regional projects and teams to foster greater dialogue and understanding between divided communities,” he said.
“More specifically, we will launch a campaign this summer to heal some of the divisions in society that have opened up during the increasingly toxic and bitter referendum campaign and this will include undertaking some work in Batley & Spen and West Yorkshire more generally.”
More concrete details of the plans are due to be made public over the coming days.
