'Don't take life for granted': Oxford reflects on year of Covid

A year ago, all schools, churches, non-essential shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants closed.

ALSO READ: 'Vaccine is not the end - stay vigilant'

Sport was stopped and people could only leave their homes once a day for exercise and essential shopping.

We asked you whether you would be taking part in a national minute of silence to mark the anniversary and to tell us one thing you have learnt over the past year.

Here's what you said:

CHRIS MOSS: “The value of having a job and being able to work through it. Hats off to the stay-at-home parents. True warriors.”

ANDREA SILLENCE: “How little respect and intolerance there is in the world. And the meaning of true friendship and family.”

LOUISE BROWN: “That I have truly amazing friends who have helped me through and my doggy is my absolute hero. She’s been a lifeline and my work from home buddy. Also my kids are awesome.”

WENDY STANBURY: “That for the first time in my children’s life - they are 12 and 14 - I have been a stay-at-home mum albeit working from home, but here with them like never before. And I have found it hard but more so felt privileged.”

ALSO READ: Oxford's traditional May Morning gets cancelled... again!

KELLS TAYLOR: “Be thankful for good health and support of your friends when you’re feeling really low.”

DENNIS CANDLISH: “I didn’t appreciate how good life was before all this. But we will get there.”

CARON HOWARD: "We appreciate how lucky we have been when we look at posts from friends and family in the UK.”

SU YEN HU: “It’s not easy to feel happy alone when people around us are sad and depressed.”

ALI JAGHURI: “Life is so unpredictable. I feel sorry for those who lost their loved ones and have gone through a tough period of time.”

CLAIRE GUY: “Tell the people you love that you love them, don’t put off the phone call, make it and don’t rush because you're busy - they may not be here tomorrow.”

ALSO READ: The impact of Covid on Oxfordshire in numbers

AMANDA DALE: “I love my little humans I made and I loved having them home with me we had fun, lots of laughs and lots of stressy times but we made the most of it.”

SANDY COLWELL-WEBB: “That I can feel anxious, sad, worried, lonely and bored, but I’ll be okay.”

GORDON BOFFIN: “How selfish people have become and how intolerant people have become.”

DEBZ BRAEDY: “To take life at a slower pace and that I have amazing work colleagues and friends.”

MARIA LOUISE: “That, there is no shame in asking for help.”

LYNDA ROLLS: “Who I can count on and that I’m stronger than I thought.”

BETTY NORRIDGE: “Not to take anything in life for granted again.”

CLAIRE THOMPSON: “How interesting it can be to explore what’s on your doorstep.”

PENNY LING: “How to do wood engraving - it’s brilliantly mindful and has been an excellent way of staying sane.”

EM LOUISE HAMILTON-PAULLEY: “Live every moment and be grateful for what you have especially friends, family and all the things money can’t buy.”

EMMA HUFFNAGLE: “Not to take freedom for granted.”

ALSO READ: One minute silence and vigil for Covid remembrance

LAUREN FISHER: "I will be doing the minutes silence. To remember all the lives taken far too early because of this god awful virus. To remember the families who have lost their family members and was not able to say goodbye to them.

"To remember the hard work the NHS and other key workers went through especially at the beginning when no one knew what this was and what it would do to the world. They all put their own life and health on the line to help us.

"More importantly to remember how we all come together as a nation in a time of need."

CAROL ROBSON: "Most definitely. Thanking my lucky stars none of my family lost there life."

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.