Last week I went to an End of Lockdown dinner. 60 friends and colleagues, all of a certain age, gathered at a local venue which offered the space to socially distance. Before attending everyone was asked to complete a Lateral Flow test and all were double jabbed.

Watching as people arrived there was evidence of some nerves. Small groups gathered to chat but there was a noticeable gap between groups. Some hugged, and hands were shaken, but only by those who were happy to do so.

By the time we sat down to dinner there was a noticeable change. A mood of confidence had returned and the initial nerves disappeared. For many this was exactly ‘as advertised’ – their first mass gathering in 18 months and the guests were starting to realize what they had been missing.

As the evening ended it was clear the event had been a huge success – confidence restored and another group launched into a post pandemic world.