Get involved in the Lothian Diary Project

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Researchers at the University are looking for participants to take part in their project Lothian Lockdown Diaries, which aims to find out how Covid-19 has impacted people living in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The Lothian Diary Project aims to gather the stories of the Covid-19 pandemic in people’s own words, with a focus on residents Edinburgh and the Lothians. The aim is to represent as many different perspectives as possible, and the project organisers are currently launching a new phase of participant recruitment to collect the reflections on the past year from parents and carers, children and teenagers, men of any age, and people over 65.

How to take part

What you need to know if you'd  like to be  involved:

• The team are looking for more particpants, particularly men, teenagers and older adults. 
• Anyone can take part in the project by submitting a video/audio diary and filling in the survey. For  every person that takes part, the project makes a local charity donation of up to £20.
• It takes around 30 minutes to take part.
• Local charities can register to help spread the word, and to be eligible to receive donations: Charity Registration Page – Lothian Lockdown: The Lothian Diary Project
• The project is collaborating with Museum and Galleries Edinburgh to create a museum archive, documenting life during lockdown for future generations.
• Additionally, the diary entries and survey results will be used to produce a Scottish Parliament video report, so it is an opportunity for people to share their views of how they have been affected by lockdown. To cintribute to Scottish Parliament report, you'll need to have contributed by 15th  May.
• The deadline to take part is 30th June. 
• Take part and earn £15 for yourself, and £5 to support important charities
• Click the link below to get started

Lothian Lockdown: The Lothian Diary Project

Violet's story

Some of the stories from earlier on in the lockdown can be found on their website  (link below), including an audio diary from one participant, Violet, who was homeless when the lockdown first began. She speaks of staying in temporary accommodation and trying to get around town to the charities that do free food services, without having a bus pass.

“[It was] very scary for me to have to walk three and a half miles to get food and three and a half miles back. I struggled.” She also speaks of having had a part time job which she then lost due to illness which she got from her accommodation:

“I was flooded in one B&B. I had to evacuate instantly. … I was outside with my bags not knowing where I’m going to be going, I didn’t get through to the Council whatsoever.” “And then the very next place I moved into, very very sadly I was, my asthma- was allergic to the damp and mould room. … It was quite difficult to get into the doctor’s surgery … With the lockdown and the doctor’s surgeries closed that was really quite a worrying time as well.”

Violet, Lothian Diary Project participant

Violet recovered, and around that time a bicycle was donated to her by Shelter, and this improved her life dramatically. “Now I’m in a really safe, clean, nice environment and it’s a huge thanks to all the volunteers and the charities that have helped me through all of this pandemic.”

You can listen to Violet’s full diary, and view the diaries of a number of our contributors, and become a contributor yourself, at our website:

Lothian Lockdown: The Lothian Diary Project