“Lockdown has been strange – we’ve never had anything like this before in my lifetime (I’m 71) – but not all negative. In the first fews days I wondered if this was what it had felt like during WW2, life more or less the same but not knowing what might happen next, how many people’s lives would be changed forever – by death in the family or loss of work.

It’s been great getting to know more neighbours through the NHS clap, and everyone’s been so thoughtful and kind. I belong to a housing co-op, which makes it possible to live in NW5 at a low rent, and we now have committee meetings via Zoom, which has also made it possible to do crosswords with friends online, attend seminars, choir practice and even play readings, but I hope there is life beyond the computer.

I also hope very much that lockdown will lead to new perspectives. I see it as an opportunity to change things such as reducing the use of fossil fuels – government support ought to be focused on helping non-polluting industries.

Hasn’t it been good to notice the brighter, whiter light due to reduced road and air traffic and to smell flowers rather than car fumes? The best motto that has come from the Covid19 lockdown is that we ought to ‘work to live, not live to work’. A new ‘normal’ would be great.”