We've got some exciting announcements in our most recent newsletter. See what we have to say here. Dear Volunteers, “STAY AT HOME” “PROTECT THE NHS” “SAVE LIVES” In these difficult times, the information you provided as a Generation Scotland volunteer is more valuable than ever. We know it’s been a long time since we were last in touch. We want to keep you updated in future, and our new funding will allow us to do just that. The one big issue on everyone’s minds this Spring is the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The UK Government message to us all is very clear, but the ‘stay at home’ instruction is quite a challenge. Every person and each household will be experiencing the effects differently. Some will cope well, others won't. After COVID-19 has passed, some will be able to get back on their feet quickly, others won't. We want to know how people are feeling and coping, so that we can think about what to plan for, and how to prepare for the future. It really helps that we know about people’s health, habits and lifestyle before COVID-19. Your volunteering back in 2006-2011 is all the more important now for understanding the changes and impact of COVID-19 on individuals and families. CovidLife - New survey on impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) Image Understanding the full impact of the current pandemic is important and so we are conducting a survey called CovidLife. As a Generation Scotland volunteer, we would really like your help. The survey is also open to anyone living in the UK over the age of 18. Do you have family members or friends that might want to take part? You can send them the below link to the survey: Covid Life Survey They would also have the chance to join Generation Scotland and take part in other health studies, but that is optional. Our research is always voluntary. If you do agree to do the survey, there will be questions about your home life and employment, your mental and physical health, who you look after, and who looks after you. In order to take part, you have to have a computer, laptop or smart phone, because the survey is on-line. If you decide to complete the survey, we will need you to share an email address. This will let us check back at a later date with everyone who completes the survey to see what has changed over time. We have more information about the study and how to volunteer on our website. Contact Details Update Image In the future all of our invitations and newsletters are going to be handled online. As a valued Generation Scotland volunteer, we don’t want to lose touch with you. So, we’re inviting you all to provide an updated e-mail address by visiting the below link: Update my details Alternatively, you can send your name, date of birth and e-mail address to genscot@ed.ac.uk or call us on 0131 651 8718. We will keep your e-mail safe and secure, and not share it with third parties. If you don’t want to be contacted in future then please ignore this e-mail request. If you don’t have access to the internet or an e-mail address but would like to continue volunteering with us, please get in touch. Funding received to invite new families and younger volunteers to join Generation Scotland In September 2019, the Wellcome Trust awarded Generation Scotland £5 million to continue and expand our research. The funding will allow us to open the study up to new volunteers later this year. We’ve learned a lot about how health is affected by where we live, what we do, our habits and our family histories. We’re also noticing important differences between generations. We’ll be inviting anybody over the age of 12 to take part. This will help us look after the younger generation’s future, as well as their parents and grandparents. Please invite your friends and family to visit our websites volunteer pages. For all the latest news, projects and up to date information, please visit our website. Once again, thank you for supporting Generation Scotland. Yours sincerely, Professor David Porteous Research Professor at the University of Edinburgh Principal Investigator, Generation Scotland Contact the Generation Scotland Team E-mail: genscot@ed.ac.uk │Phone: 0131 651 8718 (9am-4pm, Monday – Friday) We will try to answer all phone calls but please leave a message if you do not receive a reply. We are currently unable to collect any post at our usual postal address during the COVID-19 ‘lockdown’ as we are all working from home. Publication date 14 Apr, 2020
