LAST Thursday evening, Kingston St Mary demonstrated its noisy appreciation for those in the front line for the second time, just as others were doing elsewhere in Somerset and across the country.

Just after my own saucepan and wooden spoon contribution, my mobile phone went mad.

Volunteers from our local CV support group were pinging messages of what was heard from up the hill, down the hill and from every corner of this spread out village.

We even have an 11-year-old boy who played his bugle outdoors at 8pm, having prepared for the VE Day celebrations which would have taken place on May 8 (He is apparently learning something more cheerful but we love it anyway).

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This real-time connection with people in my community, some of whom are friends I am unable to see and others whom I barely know, is precious.

Social distancing in this strange, worrying and sad time has brought many people closer together. Let’s make sure we hang onto this when it’s over.

DIXIE DARCH
Nailsbourne