To help local areas increase their community spirit beyond the pandemic, RSPH is today publishing their toolkit, produced together with Locality, with various resources to help measure and improve the quality of relationships, levels of cohesion, sense of belonging, and collective action in neighbourhoods across the country.

Surveying a representative group of 2,000 UK residents, RSPH found over the first lockdown in 2020, nearly half of people said:

• They had chatted with their neighbours more than before;
• People in their neighbourhood had come together for the common good more;
• They had supported local businesses more than usual.

But it was home-owners and those in managerial and professional occupations who benefitted most from this rise in community spirit. These groups already reported higher levels of social capital than did those in the lowest skilled occupations and the unemployed, as well as those with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions.

The rise of community spirit caused by Covid-19 is therefore likely to exacerbate social and health inequalities given the relationship between feeling part of, and supported by, a cohesive community and a range of health and wellbeing benefits.

But Covid-19 has also had a negative impact on our social relationships and the social fabric:

• 57% of people also reported feeling anxious about socialising with people outside their household, and the proportion was even higher – at 80% – amongst those with disabilities;
• Three quarters (75%) of people said they did not trust others to observe the guidance on social distancing and handwashing;
• 3 in 10 people said that lockdown’s effect on their mental health had negatively impacted their relationships, and this rose to over half of respondents with mental health conditions.

Nevertheless, respondents had more confidence in local volunteers than in Government initiatives to care for the vulnerable: only 10% thought the Government had better served those in need in their area than community groups and informal volunteering had done.

RSPH is therefore calling for national and local governments to develop proactive strategies to strengthen community spirit, including:

• More investment in green spaces, like community gardens and play parks, and funding for organisations to run activities in those spaces which promote health and wellbeing;
• For public sector institutions to support local businesses by procuring goods and services from them to stimulate the local economy, and to commission community organisations to deliver services aimed at improving health and wellbeing;
• For local authorities and third-sector organisations to set up community hubs providing activities and services focused on health and wellbeing.

RSPH, in partnership with Locality, has also developed a Community Spirit Framework and toolkit to help people measure the strength of their area’s community spirit and develop an action plan to improve it.

Christina Marriott, Chief Executive of RSPH, said:

“Local community organisations, mutual aid groups and considerate neighbours have made incredible efforts to meet the needs of people in their community, and we have seen, partly as a result, a growing sense of belonging to, and pride in, their area.

“But we want to make sure that the higher quality of life and the better mental and physical health brought about by being part of a caring and cohesive neighbourhood is more fairly distributed. Building community spirit is an important step towards reducing the health inequality gap. So it is vital that national and local governments, third sector organisations and community leaders develop strategies to ensure that the places where we live are supportive and welcoming places for all. We hope our Community Spirit Framework and Toolkit helps local decision-makers begin that process.”

 Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Locality, said:

"The power of community has been demonstrated like never before during the past year. Community organisation have harnessed this community spirit, mobilising and coordinating volunteers, working with businesses and public services to get the right support to help people through the hardest of times. Often these locally-rooted organisations have been able to play this role because they've built up community relationships, services and networks over a number of years.

The community spirit experienced during the crisis offers us a foundation to build stronger, healthier and more connected communities in the recovery. To tackle inequalities and make sure that some places are not left further behind, this requires investment in the essential social infrastructure which is the fabric of a healthy society."

Kim Leadbeater MBE, Ambassador for the Jo Cox Foundation, said:

"I know more than most how a crisis can bring people together and show the very best of humanity. And, whilst it has not been without a huge number of challenges the coronavirus pandemic has also created an all too rare sense of togetherness which has been felt in communities across the land. Through the work of the Jo Cox Foundation we strive to build strong, compassionate, well-connected communities where everyone feels they belong and has positive health and wellbeing outcomes.

“We are now at a pivotal time in our country's history and the question has to be how we can capture this community spirit and harness and build on its organic power for the good of us all. We need a holistic cross-sector approach where we all play our part and tools such as the framework and toolkit from the RSPH can only help with this which is why I am very pleased to support this work. "

Nancy Hey, Chief Executive of the What Works Centre for Wellbeing said:

“Social capital is the hidden wealth of our nation. It is built through our relationships and the small daily moments of positive social connection - someone to pick up our prescription if we're quarantined, dropping round a hot meal to a friend, someone to take our bins in while we're away, or giving a neighbour a lift home from hospital.

“Social trust and helping each other out is what makes our communities resilient and better able to respond in a crisis. We welcome this Framework and Toolkit - they will help to measure and increase community spirit, which is vital for reducing the wellbeing inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic.”

Gareth Johnstone, Chair of Darnall Well Being, said:

“Our experience of the Covid-19 pandemic taught us that people are willing and able to act for the benefit of their community, and want to be actively involved in mutual support. Looking to the future we will use the toolkit produced by RSPH and Locality to shape our engagement with stakeholders at all levels, and would strongly encourage other organisations to adopt it for themselves.”