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Communities thrive on diversity as do families.
Few people only want to mix with people in exactly the same circumstances as themselves.
Joy comes from experience and an ability to share the lessons learned as much as joy comes from finding your feet through childhood and beyond.
People need people to thrive

It’s important for all to be connected and feel appreciated, for limiting mental health problems and for sharing knowledge and experience - ie for living.

Everyone should feel included in society regardless of age, race or even religion to name but a few differences. Having a social conscience is important to me it helps us stay grounded. I feel the current situation is highlighting this forcing us to stay home and not being constantly on the go thinking about just ourselves.

It is important that everyone feels connected but that does not mean everyone has to be socially involved with others. I am quite a solitary person but I love to know that my family are thinking about me especially during these times so am happy to have daily phone calls from my sons and whats app messages from my grandsons. I have had offers of help from my neighbours which is lovely but I am able to manage on my own and would not want to rely on anyone else. The feeling of being connected is important but it doesn't need to mean that we are involved in everyone else's business.

It is important for all ages to feel connected to their community because we all have the same human need to establish friendships, connections and exchange views, knowledge and share fun. It makes life richer and more purposeful

It is crucial for people of all ages to feel connected to their community, especially during the current pandemic. Society, as we know it, will never be the same as before Covid 19 and it is for this very reason that communities come together and embrace people of all ages

Very important just now especially to connect with the community ! we all need advice in the unprecedented times and talking about various worries helps with loneliness too! ?

What a strange question! We are social animals; it's vital for our health and wellbeing to be connected to the community in some way.

They say it takes a village (or community) to raise a child, and it's true!

Whatever our ages, we need a sense of belonging as it helps to give us confidence to go out in the world. Especially in these times of being unable to venture far, members of our local community are helping more vulnerable people to get their shopping and check they are alright.

Local businesses are also doing a convoy each Thursday evening, after people have clapped their hands for the NHS. For the third week running huge lorries, tractors and vans are doing a procession through our two villages, honking their horns and flashing lights, showing appreciation for the NHS. There is a YouTube video here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=snCDee3sF3A&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0GXuDTXuxLfEfkE-Q1oSQDkVNAIYEVc6339gIkPB3_qVU0j3n9vVzt1Pg

It highlights our values and gives a sense of belonging, which is so necessary in what can be a frightening world.

I think it’s very important sadly I don’t feel very connected and I know for me That is impacting negatively. I lived with my husband in a different part of the area when he died, I moved back to the home I had rented out when my tenants moved out. I normally commute 4 hours to work so all my friends are miles away. The friends I do have in the street all moved in with their kids when this started Many people in the street are not self-isolating and just carrying on so don’t really bother with the community. I have joined a community group on line and find that comforting.

Very important as we all have different skills eg I gave Duvet covers and tape to a lady making scrub bags for nurses. I can't sew but was able to help.

It is very important to keep in touch with family and friends. Having to self isolate from beginning of the coronavirus, it’s been lovely to video call family and friends in Finland as years trips there are cancelled

Humans are herd animals. We need to live in groups, villages, towns, communities. Young people learn from the older ones and in a crisis will look after them. Communities help those who don’t have families around them. It is in times of crisis, wars or pandemics that communities come into their own. They are very necessary.

It's is important to keep in touch you don't know if people need your help. I still keep in touch with someone because they really need my help and done it for me as well .

Extremely important for both physical and mental well being. When you are feeling low sometimes just a conversation with someone can lift your spirits although it might not seem it to either party.

I feel it is very important so that you get to know people. We had a lunch club every 2 weeks which is closed at present but as a volunteer, I ring some of the members every week for a chat and make sure that they are OK and getting their shopping and medications etc so that we could help if necessary

very important, a generation difference can show change in life style for example eg we did not have a phone until i was 17 and then it was a party line which my Mum put a lock on so we could not use it

It's essential! Not just now, but all the time. I think the Covid19 crisis has made us all realise how important it is to keep in touch with family, friends and neighbours of all ages in order to survive physically and mentally. The situation has, on the whole, brought out the best in people and we can see examples every day of people doing their utmost to support their community and help others. Long may it continue after the crisis has ended.

We need to feel needed and respected as part of our families and communities.

I think it is very important, a varied group of ages bring so many benefits. Everyone has something useful to offer to the community.

It's very important as without contact of other people in the community, feelings of isolation and depression may well begin. Especially now when it is not possible to go to gatherings outside the home.

Each generation has something to learn from each other. If we only communicated with our own age group, we wouldn't necessarily get exposed to different perspectives. Does it sound corny to say love and understanding make the world go round?

We are very lucky to have a great community in our village which has become more apparent during the covid-19 crisis. It has brought young and old together and has been vitally important to people's mental health.

Having lived abroad most of my married life my community has been mostly with expats and the school community where we worked. I looked forward to coming back to the UK and finding a community however it has been hard - people in our village are already tight knit. I am happy to say the lockdown has brought out the best of the village and I've spoken to more people in the last few weeks - at a distance - that I did in the first two years of living here. It makes me feel part of the place, wanted and involved.

I think it’s vital for everyone to have a sense of belonging- beyond one’s family, the community we live in offers daily support, camaraderie & encouragement. Belonging is good for the spirit!