Today it is anticipated that the government will extend the period of lockdown until May.

The prime minister has said that the country must get used to this “new normal” in order to save lives and protect the NHS.

In Swindon, people have made great and admirable efforts to adapt to the new normal and I would like to thank every single person who has so far observed the social distancing guidelines to the letter.

Admittedly, the lockdown has not been easy.

Isolation is not a natural and happy state for many of us and the challenges this has brought for our mental health cannot be understated.

It’s hugely important that as the lockdown continues we all remember to take care of ourselves, and we have provided some updated information and advice on our website about how people can do this.

Keeping active and remembering to exercise is of major importance.

We are all entitled to one piece of exercise a day and I would encourage people to make full use of it, though to do so responsibly by adhering to the social distancing rules.

There is advice on there about what to do if you’re a victim of domestic abuse and if you’re worried about falling victim to scammers and fraudsters, reports of which have recently been received by our Trading Standards team.

There is also sound advice on how to make sure you get a good night’s sleep if you’re feeling worried or anxious and how to maintain a healthy diet.

I have been blown away by how people in Swindon have come together to lookout for each other. Hundreds have come to us asking to volunteer to help some of the most vulnerable people in society and the level of support for NHS and social care staff, as we see on our doorsteps at 8pm every Thursday evening, has been overwhelming.

It has been wonderful to see the kind messages that residents have been leaving on their wheelie bins for our waste and recycling crews.

The waste teams have been working flat out during these challenging times, putting themselves on the front line to ensure this vital service remains in operation, and my sincere thanks goes to every single one of them.

I am sure the generosity and kindness of members of the public is greatly appreciated by the teams.

Over the past few weeks, Swindon Borough Council has been working with partners in the public and voluntary sectors to make sure the town is protected from the worst effects of the virus.

We have been helping residents and businesses through a number of support packages and we will continue to make sure we are there for those who need us.

As the lockdown extends, I would urge people to continue to observe the measures that have been put in place to tackle the virus and to lookout for those who may need a little extra help at the moment.