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It's very important for people's health, happiness and mental health to feel part of a community. It helps to dispel loneliness and completes the need to belong. We can all create a better world by working together and sharing knowledge , showing kindness and consideration.

I think it is vital and the current situation demonstrates that all age groups are now more likely to consider how they can support the larger community.

It is important for good mental health and well being. We are social creatures and are happy when we feel connected to others.

Feeling connected with others, friends and family, is so important for wellbeing, not feeling isolated. Online tools and communities are helping so much with this. But also, just picking up the phone. Short messages, sharing some fun video clip, all help. Works for me.

Community is always important, but in the strange and extraordinary times we find ourselves, its value is magnified.
The smiles and nods as we dance in 2 metre spaces when we pass each other. Hastily written postcards to assure neighbours both known, and unknown, that someone somewhere cares.
Reaching out, however we can, into a unknown void, shatters the space and silence between us.
Simply magical.

I suppose it is important, although I dont feel connected to mine and I've been this way for so long I dont feel the need to change now. Maybe in the next life... I don't really feel that connected to anything, or anyone, I'm an antisocial bugger really. I help people where I can, but dont accept help unless its offered - I never ask.

It is important for everyone to feel connected to their community because it gives meaning to life to part of something greater than yourself. We are not just atoms floating in the ether but part of families, streets, towns and villages. At times like this we need each other to make it through the day. Both older and young need a friendly chat or may need shopping collected.

It is very important for a community to be brought together throughout the year with different events and activities that will cover all the ages from young to the old. This is so that we all can feel connected and cared for and any problems arising can be shared with others!! This time is prove what a great connection we can have.

Your community is your snapshot of life outside your front door. If you are not involved in that community in some way it can become a downward spiral of insular life when you become more and more isolated and prone to depression. It's vital whatever your age or circumstances to have some stake in your community.

Age is just a number society pins on you so you're as young or old as you choose to be. Being part of a friendly community is great for the mental health of everyone and we can all make a worthwhile contribution large or small...!

I think it’s extremely important for all ages. We all need to feel connected with the community regardless of our age.

I think it's very important, many years ago we moved house to live in the north, and having a baby I got to know as many of our neighbours as I could. I went to every mum and toddler group going in the small town, I went to sing-a-longs in the local library, went to the mums group at the chapel and participated in whatever brownies and guiding events too place, and joined in with the WI etc. I enjoyed it immensely and, although, a distance from my home town, I felt part of the area.

It all changed when we moved a long distance away south to the coast and found the people less friendly. I think even if you lived there for 20 yrs you would never really fit in. Community is all about making newcomers welcome and not feeling like they have no place there, no incomers allowed. Or as one of my elderly neighbours told me back then, we don't like new people we don't know what they're like!! I never got to know either him or his wife in all the years we lived there.

I have got more connected recently with more people being home. I regularly walk a neighbours dog and it's interesting to see so many various people just exercising, jogging, walking dogs, gardening, and cyclists it's a great walk when although keeping a distance can still say a friendly good morning or hello.

It's extremely important , as everyone is clearly saying above

Very important, "no man is an island", etc. I'm not always a Fc'bk, other social media fan but I do think in these days of isolation and social distancing that they have helped people to stay connected. The Fc'bk self help groups that have started up show the good face of humanity, I truly hope this type of bond and community spirit continues after we're on the other side of this situation. No matter where you live, a big city or out in a rural area, it's all too easy to become insular, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and even depression. Hopefully, after our lives have returned to "normality", people will continue to interact, especially in real life.

Very important - things get done faster when the community
work together, we learn from each other and it helps people's mental health not to feel isolated.

Very important-you can learn so much from each other!

It’s unhealthy to isolate ourselves and not be connected to others

Community helps us to know our neighbours. We may be able to help them or need their help at some time. This is why I love living in a village where nearly everyone knows each other.

Vital for all ages to be part of a community, never more so than now!

It is important for people to feel connected to their community to help create more supportive neighbourhoods and to ease social isolation.

It is vitally important and sadly often underrated. I work in a Hospice charity shop and we have volunteers of all ages and it is amazing to see how valuable they are to the charity and how it often gives them a sense of worth.

i moved up north to marry my husband and didn't know a soul and felt so lost and isolated it was really scary and didn't have the confidence to go to clubs and groups on my own but once our son was born a whole new world opened up, Everybody was stopping for a peak at the new baby and also pop 50p in his hand for luck it was wonderful and i now know what a wonderful community i live in, If our son got into mischief we knew before he came home and the same for when he did something wonderful so although he was quite unsure about community as a youngster now he has his own he realises how important it is as well as that we now know the older generation and keep an eye out for them and they know they can contact us if needed and also some of the youngsters do too

It is so important. Our street has always had parties and get together and in the current situation so many have volunteered to help others

Mutual help is important in these uncertain times