Over the last year, we have been hearing from women across the UK about how their lives have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. As we find ourselves coming out of another lockdown, we have decided that the time has come to end the diaries. We are incredibly grateful to our diarists for sharing their stories with us. And, we will continue to campaign to Make Women Visible throughout the pandemic and recovery.  

As we draw the diaries to a close, we asked our diarists to tell us about their hopes for this time next year.

Many of our diarists said they were looking forward to being able to travel again:

I hope to be able to travel again, and to be planning some dream trips. If nothing else the last year has shown how important it is to do stuff when you can.

For myself and my husband, I would dearly like to be able to travel again as well as eat out occasionally and go to events, the theatre and exhibitions. These activities were part of the texture of our lives which feel flatter and more constrained without them.

I'd just like to travel by train to another city without having to worry about social distancing, masks and hand sanitizer, and sing and dance with strangers in a darkened room to a band I love, again.

Diarists are looking forward to spending time with loved ones near and far:

I’d love to give my mother more hugs, she misses them so much.

I hope that I will have had the opportunity to visit my elderly mother in South Africa. I missed her 80th birthday.

I really hope that this time next year we can plan and carry out family get-togethers: I hope we can have a party for my granddaughter's first birthday and that my daughter's wedding will go ahead.

Diarists told us that they intend to continue working flexibly:

Although I do hope for a semblance of normality - a life without masks and social distancing, I have no interest to return to the rush hour commute. I am considering a new job that is more flexible and hopefully continuing to work from home.

I’m hoping that people don’t return in great numbers to office based working but also that a better balance and boundaries between being at home and working from home are established.

Some diarists found new interests during lockdown and are hoping to explore these further:

I need to take the opportunities that arise and look to develop myself. I find myself passionate about women's rights and will seek to help in a grassroots organisation.

Over the last year… I’ve found my way to networks and organisations working on issues I believe in…I hope that in some way I can continue to be part of them and their work.

Many diarists told us that they would like to see long-term social change:

It would be nice to see that some of the learnings from Covid19 around inequality, domestic abuse, care burdens and flexible working result in positive societal changes that benefit women.

My hope is that there will be a genuine attempt to understand how society could be better and that the lessons learned about the importance of community during the pandemic will be reflected in social policy.

I think this moment in time has been a great reset and source of reflection and hope we will take a little of the consideration and kindness forward.

If you feel worried about yourself for a loved one, please take a look at our help for individuals page for a list of helplines and organisations offering support.