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I believe it is important to be connected to a community - this needn’t be in your locality but could be family, shared interest groups, gransnet or even your local credit union. Social media makes keeping in touch easy however, a phone call or letter can be very impactful. For me the communities I belong to take away my fear of loneliness and of dying alone. My life feels as if it has worth and purpose if I have others to share it with.

Totally essential for healthy mind and body.

I think it’s extremely important. In our area we are doing a collection for the food bank , because their stocks are very low, my house is one of the drop off points. we have a covid 19 help page on our estate, between us all we have managed to cover all streets which is about 80 or more. Elderly are covered because when someone needs someone to get something for them one off us shops for them, I’m also signed up to the next area from me , so I can collect prescriptions and shopping for the elderly and self isolated people. We are also collecting toiletries to go to two hospitals . It’s amazing to part of such a great community .

Being isolated, we have had a great deal of help lately from our neighbours and the local community. This is one of the wonderful things about living in a village.

Hugely important. One thing this crisis is doing is bringing back community. People are looking out for elderly or ailing neighbours. We have a lady who is dressed as Where's Wally, she is wandering the streets and waving to the children, she is doing and amazing job and it gives the children something to look forward to each day.

We, as humans, need the company of others. We rely on others for our mental wellbeing, as well as our physical needs. Most are gregarious so it is essential that we connect with each other. The young can learn from the old and the old can, definitely, learn from the young. We are all in this life, together.

Isolation leads to depression and other mental illness.

It is very important to feel part of a community - no man is an island - as John Donne wrote. A person who has no contact with other members of their community has a life which is the poorer for it.
We all need people and hopefully we all matter to someone.

There are several aspects of community, we are part of a Facebook group for our housing estate but also connected through WhatsApp with our musical groups and our families. We are using Zoom to chat with friends, both local and far away. We’re so lucky to have the internet!

Very. There are those in society who are isolated & lonely and go under the radar and can't/don't/won't ask for help when they need it. The current situation is hopefully identifying some of those who need assistance and hopefully we as a community can do more in the future for those same people

This Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of connecting to the local community. Those in strong communities are looking out for and supporting each other, those who were already isolated are feeling it more than ever.

It is vital but it should not take something like the situation we are in to bring it to a head.
We are all human beings no one is better than the other.
Hope those who survive this monster appreciate what we have

I think it’s extremely important. Every generation can both learn and offer so much to other generations in so many areas. Also we can only help each other by staying in touch even if that can only be done remotely at the moment it’s important we continue to do this.

It is extremely important for people of all ages to feel connected to their local community as it benefits well-being and leads to healthy attitudes to life. Without this, people can feel neglected, leading to a downturn in their mental well-being, so please keep in touch with friends, family and neighbours - not forgetting those people that you don't yet know well!

It is very important. Without community we would feel lonely and isolated. This could affect our mental health which is just as important as our physical health. Stay safe and stay connected x

Age doesn't count in a family as each and every member has a valuable contribution to make....... that's what makes the relationships priceless!

Social connectivity is very important as has been shown during this coronavirus crisis. People can reach out for help, advice or just to say I love you. It is lovely to know you can reach people all over the community, the country and the world and offer love and support if needed.

It’s very important as without it you would be detached and everything would fall apart. Community is like your wider family and being part of it means that everyone can look out for each other.

It is very important. A community thrives on people at all stages of life and in different circumstances, looking out for each other, supporting each other, socialising together and working on projects together. Feeling connected to your community brings a sense of belonging, self value and inclusion.

Very important but difficult if you moved with work at the end of your career as we did with the Forestry Commission. With no family or old school friends nearby.

It is incredibly important to feel connected! We are a herd animal and we need that connection with others. Without that human connection we would have no NHS, no big society, no books, no education, no keep fit classes, so many things pubs, restaurants, theatre, cinema etc would not happen. In the current situation that connectivity and support is even more important!

We moved from a large city to a very small town. Now that there are challenges caused by the COVID 19 pandemic we are very fortunate to be in the middle of a caring community and if I didn’t realise the value of that before I certainly do now.

Its very important to keep in touch with young and old .These last few weeks have shown how having friends matters .

It is very important especially now as people are self isolating, keeping intouch with family and freinds of all ages is good for our mental health and wellbeing .

Younger people feel it is less important and it is only as they get older that they realise how important it is.