It is a strange time to be writing as usually I use my column to update you all on the people and groups I have met within the course of my civic duties.

Unfortunately, like everything else these past few weeks, the plans I had to celebrate with residents on their milestones, as well as attend events organised by local organisations, all had to be cancelled.

It’s hard to believe that the situation we are living in just now is not the plot line of a terrifying Hollywood film.

But this is real life, with some of us seeing people they love pass away or become gravely ill as they fight off this virus.

We have all gone from having the freedom to come and go as we please to being asked to stay at home and only leave the house to get essential supplies, help a vulnerable loved one or for exercise once a day.

This guidance is extremely important as we all work together to defeat this virus.

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Only by staying at home can we ensure the number affected by Covid-19 is kept as low as possible.

I know that, like me, you may be finding the prospect of even more time in lockdown quite daunting, but I cannot underestimate the importance of following the guidance.

Please stay at home to save lives. It is the only way to slow the spread of Covid-19 and it is the single most important action all of us can take in the fight against this.

These are difficult and extremely uncertain times, but I do want to highlight some of the positives.

Our communities have made me extremely proud over the past few weeks, supporting each other, stepping up and offering help to ensure our most vulnerable are safe and have everything they need.

Others have painted rainbows on their windows and clapped loudly to support those frontline workers who can’t stay at home.

There’s no doubt that this is a challenging time for us all, and a time that will go down in history.

When we look back, let’s try to remember the ways we worked together to overcome it.