Yet we have also never been more connected – to our neighbours, our families, and to all those experiencing the coronavirus across the world. The virus has turned our lives upside down. But it has also shown how our country can pull together. The Express is building on this with a ground-breaking project, Britain Connects – connecting people across the UK with different views for a virtual chat.

The aim is to speak to someone you might not usually meet, to find out what they are like and explore what our nation has in common, whatever our political or other differences.

To take part, all you need to do is fill in our questionnaire online via the link below. We’ll do the rest. We’ll match you with someone who has different views and set up a video meeting on the weekend 22-24 May.

Today Kim Leadbeater, the sister of murdered MP Jo Cox, writes backing our campaign to connect with someone different from ourselves.

#BritainConnects

Connecting Britain – now and in the future

By Kim Leadbeater, sister of Jo Cox MP murdered in 2016

It has never felt more important for Britain to connect.

Ever since my sister was killed, the Jo Cox Foundation set up in her name has been working to build stronger communities.

Why? Because stronger communities are healthier, happier, less divided places to live and work. But also, because they are better able to withstand the shocks when tragedy strikes.

Coronavirus has been a tragedy for so many people up and down Britain.

As a family, we weren’t able to be with Jo when she died. Now, in very different circumstances, thousands of others like us are having to come to terms with not being able to hold a loved one’s hand or offer any comfort in those last moments.

The country responded to Jo’s death with amazing warmth and compassion. People took her words that we all have ‘more in common than that which divides us’ to their hearts. As we hoped, something good and powerful came out of tragic circumstances.

Today that same spirit is in evidence in every city, town and village across Britain.

People are connecting with others more often, and with more determination and creativity than ever before. Not just helping the most vulnerable, although that is vital, but simply being there for neighbours, distant relations, and folk in the community who might have been strangers a few months ago but now feel like friends.

Jo’s Foundation has come together with almost 200 other charities and organisations to form a ‘Connection Coalition’. Our message is simple: if it feels good to connect with others now then don’t stop doing it when this is all over.

Let’s try to bottle all the goodwill and generosity that is flowing so freely now and keep on using it in good times as well as bad.

Keep those mutual aid organisations and Facebook groups going so our communities go on getting stronger.

And for now, as Britain Connects with the help of this newspaper, let’s take the opportunity to get to know each other and understand each other a little bit better. For all our sakes. 

SIGN UP: This is a unique moment for connection in our country’s history – join us here

Watch our film ‘When Lynda met Jovan’ here

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