New survey shows community spirit in Wales on the rise for 2021

·       In Wales 71% (7 in 10 people) feel part of their local community – over a third (36%) say that COVID-19 has made them feel even closer.  

·       Welsh interviewees say that reducing loneliness and isolation is top of the agenda for the wellbeing of their local community, and supporting mental health is a priority for the year ahead. 

·       A quarter (25%) say that as a result of the pandemic they plan to be more involved in their local community in 2021  

·       The findings reveal a more caring, community-focussed outlook for 2021, which could lead to another strong year for innovative Welsh projects seeking National Lottery funding. 

New research* out today from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, shows that the pandemic has helped to reignite people in Wales’ interest in their local community and sparked a desire to be more involved in 2021.  

Seven in ten of people in Wales (71%) feel part of their local community, with over one third acknowledging that COVID-19 has increased that sense of belonging (36%). The virus has made 34% feel it is even more important for them to feel the community connection. 

The survey of over 300 adults in Wales (336 in Wales and over 7,000 in total across the UK**) is nationally and politically representative. It asked how people were feeling about their community and their ambitions for their local area for the year ahead. 

After a year which thrust community spirit into the spotlight, a quarter (25%) of people in Wales say that they plan to get more involved in their local community in 2021. But as well as enjoying a greater appreciation of their local community, people have a sense of the challenges their community faces and identified what will be important in their local area this year:  

In Wales, reducing loneliness and isolation (61%), helping the local economy (53%), helping people live healthily and well (50%) and providing services for mental health (45%) were all seen as important for their community’s wellbeing this year.  

Other 2021 priorities for Wales were: access to natural, green spaces (58%) keeping the area looking nice (55%), and providing young people with places to go and activities to do (55%) – all of which could potentially help address another concern for communities – safety on the streets (63%). 

Interestingly, many of the changes people in Wales most want to see for their community in the year ahead are behavioural. These include people caring and looking out for each other (61%), a focus on supporting each other and good neighbourliness (51%), and appreciation for the work of volunteers and key workers do (48%). 

2020 also appears to have opened people’s eyes to the great work already taking place within communities. A majority in Wales (67%) felt that local community groups and projects, volunteers and charities deserve more recognition. Nearly half (40%) want to see support for local community projects and charities as a priority for 2021.

Ruth Bates, Wales Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, says: “Last year communities across Wales demonstrated the amazing things people do to support each other during challenging times. This research shows the impact of collective endeavour and its power to change how we feel about where we live and the people around us. Working together enables more of us appreciate our community and want to get involved.  

“At The National Lottery Community Fund, we believe that local communities best understand what they need to thrive. The research highlights some of the hundreds of projects that people value as part of everyday life – these are exactly the kind of projects that regularly benefit from funding made possible thanks to National Lottery players.” 

National Lottery players raise £30 million a week for good causes and the research findings chime with the thousands of grant requests The National Lottery Community Fund receive and the conversations its regional funding teams have with grant holders across Wales. During 2020 it distributed £32.5 million to 966 community projects in Wales  

One such project, is Little Lounge in Pontypridd, originally a toddler and baby group, during COVID-19 they have become a group for the whole community, expanding their community pantry and outdoor activities with a grant for £7,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund. Katie Hadley Project Manager at Little Lounge said 

“It has carried me through lockdown being involved with a team of people who are so dedicated to doing something positive at a really difficult time. We’ve now got volunteers from all walks of life, people we had never met before COVID-19 are now part of our volunteer team, it’s been really inspiring and uplifting. In a time when you tend to look at all the negatives, but this is happening on your doorstep, it’s brilliant.” 

For more information on The National Lottery Community Fund and the funding available to support communities visit  www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk.