Keele Research Repository

<p>Despite undeniable hardship, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic also saw an outpour of community solidarity and mutual aid towards those in need. This study explored why people participated in mutual aid, as well as the factors that contributed to continued involvement and/or its decline. We conducted remote interviews with 18 people in South-east England who had been involved in volunteering and local community support groups during the first UK lockdown from March to May 2020. Using thematic approaches to data analysis, we identified two broad themes: 1) Shared social identities and mutual support, and 2) Enduring connections and barriers to continued participation. Participants often reported an emergent shared identity, preferring the localised nature of these groups and the associated mutual nature of support. They also reported intentions to continue providing such support, should the need arise again, and any barriers to continued involvement in mutual aid were better explained by structural and systemic issues, rather than individual, motivational factors. Implications for pandemic response are discussed and future research suggested.</p>