(Image: LOLA MCEVOY)
Darlington MP Lola McEvoy writes her latest column for The Northern Echo and tells how her town is the place to be.
Summer in Darlington, where else would you want to be?
After a few turbulent weeks before Parliament broke up for the summer recess, I was really looking forward to getting back home.
As ever, the best town in the country didn’t disappoint. My diary has been packed full of fantastic events, surgery meetings, business engagement and visits.
Thank you to everyone I’ve met this summer – you’ve filled up my tank and I’m ready to go back to Westminster and take the fight for Darlington to the Government.
An event that I’d like to highlight is the Darlington 10K. Not only did I get to sound the starting horn (something from my bucket list), but I also got to cheer runners on as they crossed the finish line. Whether they ran the full 10K, the 5K, junior 3K or the fun run, the joy was contagious.
The event was the largest it’s been in a long time, and it got me thinking about what our town is about. The support people gave each other to achieve their best times was the town at its best.
I’m no runner, so I’m seriously impressed by all who took part. A special mention goes to the people crossing the line in full fancy dress as a crocodile or a koala, and others like Jeff, who completed the run while pushing a buggy with a little girl in it. We even had Olympian Marc Scott turn out to show us all how it’s done.
Talking of being proud of Darlington, this year’s Pride was spectacular.
I want to put on record my admiration and thanks to everyone who was involved in putting it on, those who stepped in to fund it and everyone who showed up: the organisers, the entertainment, the security and the businesses who fired confetti cannons for the parade.
Darlington Pride 2026 showed exactly what we’re about as a town: everyone can be themselves, everyone is accepted, and everyone can be proud of who they are. It was a joy to put on some glitter and join the crowds to spread that message loud and clear.
As the Member of Parliament for Darlington, one of my main motivations is to make sure our pride in our town, its history and our communities is combined with positive improvements in our public services, support for our diverse business community and opportunities for everyone to live the life they want to well.
That is why the Government-funded Pride in Place programme is so important. Announced in September 2025, Darlington was one of the first towns to be included in the programme, and it means we will get £20 million of Government funding to spend on your priorities.
Decisions on spending are made by a board I’m lucky enough to sit on, but the whole purpose of the programme is to put proper money in the hands of local people to spend on your priorities.
If you have an idea of what it should be spent on, get in touch with me; I want to hear about it. Email me on lola.mcevoy.mp@parliament.uk, call 01325 526655 or write to me at 35–36 Blackwellgate, Darlington, DL1 5HW.
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I know there’s more to do. But when I’m talking up the town in Westminster, I say: we’re the best town in the country, we like a laugh, we work hard and we stand up for each other.
We know we all deserve a safe and secure place to call home and the opportunity to make a good living, be healthy and look after our families.
This summer has been a joy and I’m truly grateful to everyone I’ve met for your support on our mission to ensure Darlington’s best days are ahead of us.