‘We became a crew’: how lockdown forged unlikely friendships

From a conversation about an orchid to a telephone buddy scheme, Guardian readers share their friendship tales

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One of the biggest challenges of the pandemic has been keeping in touch with friends with social distancing and other Covid restrictions in place.

But for some these changes provoked unlikely friendships with people they might otherwise never have met. Five Guardian readers share how these friendships have helped them get through the past year.