Want to reconnect with your roots? Or has one of those ancestry kit advertisements finally caught your eye? There are so many seeds of inspiration which may lead you to start looking for your family tree. 

Family history is always something which has intrigued me. Coming from a dual nationality household has always allowed for interesting developments to appear. The twisted branches lead to the uprooting of family secrets, maybe you have a mysterious great aunt? You will never know until you start your family tree.  

So how do you start your family tree? 

Adelaide Augusta Clark (Layfield) (1876-1972). She was the daughter of a sea captain from Hartlepool, and is one of my great-great grandparents.

Talk to family 

One of the best places to start is by talking to your surrounding family members. Which will, I’m sure, lead to stories as you start to gather names, dates, and places.  

Online ancestry websites 

Using online tools such as the Ancestry DNA website will aid you remarkably, even with a hefty price tag. Having these resources make it easier to gather documents, certificates etc, granting you access to what is effectively a historical online archive. If you don’t want to make researching your family tree a costly endeavor, census records are a great place to start, and can be accessed via The National Archives.  

Online communities 

There are communities online of genealogy forums, filled with people in the same position as you. Through speaking to others in the ‘family tree’ community you could unravel a plethora of tips and tricks to aid you in your own research. 

Groups include Ancestry DNA, Ancestry for All and DNA Help for Genealogy UK.

If you’re looking to dig deeper into historical contexts or streamline your research with advanced technology, try an AI history solver – Edubrain.ai. This tool offers automated assistance in connecting historical facts, events, and familial ties, helping you uncover stories and patterns in your lineage with precision and efficiency.

In-person resources 

You do not have to do all your research online. Local libraries are a fantastic starting point, as they contain historical information on the local area, along with photograph and microfilm collections. National Archives are also brilliant resources, containing thousands of comprehensive records and collections of photographs and letters. 

Why should you work on your very own family tree?

Sense of duty and passion 

Pouring hours into ‘watering’ your tree provides a profound sense of duty and passion, not only is it a fun hobby to keep you preoccupied on a rainy day, but your work is something which can be kept for generations to come. It’s your own family archive to pass forward generationally. They pass on memories of loved ones, but also protect and unearth the hidden lives of everyone before you. This forever growing tree will continue long after you’re gone. Just as it did for every ancestor before you. Weirdly I think that’s pretty beautiful.  

Wider historical understanding 

Gazing back at history allows you to place your family’s history within the broader context of historical events. In turn, enhancing historical understanding and highlighting the impacts historical events had on your relatives.  

The pair on the left are my great grandparents Wilfred Furness Layfield (1901-1946) and Freda Hinchcliffe (1902- 1969) at 1920s wedding. Wilfred served in the WW2 Royal Ordinance Corps.

Self-reflection and identity

Growing your family tree from something so small to one vast and magnificant allows for self-reflection. It has the potential to impact your sense of personal identity, and even your social class and ethnicity. 

Recognition of comfort  

 Looking back at historical struggles, and obstacles faced by relatives provides a sense of comfort. Life continues, and ultimately history is there for us to learn from. I think this has genuinely helped me recognise my current privileges and the comfort which surrounds me. 

Family closure 

Closure may be another reason why people choose to work on their family tree, whilst this may not apply to all, healing family drama and settling potentially distressing information can truly lead to peace of mind.  

Health and preventions 

Continuing on a serious note, family trees can lead to vital information regarding health and genetics coming to the forefront. This crucial information has the potential to provide insight into genetic conditions, allowing for better health management and preventative measures to best protect you and your loved ones.  

Family trees can lead to potentially vital information regarding health and genetics coming to the forefront

My personal experience

Luigi Poderico (1608-1675) Naples, Italy. My very great grandfather, who was a Knight of the Military Order of Calatrava,  and a governor and captain general of Galicia. He commanded the Spanish troops against the Portuguese as part of the Portuguese Restoration War . There is a square dedicated to him in Naples, Italy.

One Christmas my grandma waltzed into the living room, declaring that for the past six weeks she had been tirelessly laboring on ancestrydna.co.uk to create a family tree for the British side of my family. Somehow tracing my family tree’s roots back to the 9th century, an impressive feat.  

In a folder now lies hundreds of documents, birth, marriage, and death certificates, each one telling a small piece of someone’s story. I think it’s fascinating to imagine the lives of those who lived several hundred years before us. Their struggles, love, hopes and dreams all condensed to names on a tree.

Thomas Furness Layfield (1872-1937) North Yorkshire, England, another great-great-grandparent

Another article you may enjoy: Brace, brace! Preparing for your grandchildren coming

I am one of those people who the DNA testing kit adverts did indeed get to, and for my birthday several years ago I ended up treating myself to one. My results were exactly what I was expecting, 50 percent both Italian and English, so this told me nothing new. However, one of the main features of the DNA kits is that it automatically connects you to ancestors and relatives who are still alive and have also taken the test.

According to this 23 and Me DNA kit, I have 1500 currently alive relatives who have taken the test, including a second cousin whose existence I was not aware of until forking out £100 for the kit.

This immediately expanded my family tree drastically, showing me family members (although extremely distant), who now live in America, Brazil, and Australia. Although this method of researching your family lineage doesn’t really help you uproot and uncover historical secrets, it still provides further excitement as you watch your family tree branch out to unimaginable heights.

Something else surprisingly fun regarding these DNA kits is that it tells you how ‘Neanderthal’ you are. I am less than 2 percent Neanderthal which apparently, is low. So I’ll take that. 

Now off you go! Get to work on your very own family tree, or cut to the chase quickly, and purchase a DNA testing kit… if you haven’t already. 

Isabella Poderico

Overly enthusiastic and obsessed with everything a little nerdy, Isabella has written about everything from movie premieres to politics. She can often be found, as many writers often are, sitting in front of her laptop typing away obsessively in an extortionately priced independent coffee shop.

The post Family history – how to start on your family tree appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Illustration by Charlie Mackesy to celebrate the NHS’s 75th anniversary

The NHS is an essential part of all our lives. And it’s great to see how passionate the UK feels about protecting this beloved institution we’re so lucky to have. Particularly after the dedication and strength the staff demonstrated during the pandemic. As the service turns 75, let’s explore the many ways we can support the NHS this year.

1. Do you want to join the NHS team?

Joining the NHS as staff is one of the biggest things you can do to support it. Especially when there’s a staff shortage in many areas of the service, any new employee is a plus. With 1.3 million staff, the NHS is Europe’s biggest employer.

There are 350 careers available, so there is a job for you if you want to make a difference. But don’t fret – it doesn’t have to be a clinical role. The NHS employs electricians, administration, porters, accountants, and caterers. Take a look at more information here.

You can work for the NHS whatever your work or educational background is. And there are options to make the career move from another sector (it isn’t only open to the young, fresh graduates). The NHS has a wide range of employers, such as hospitals, emergency services, GP practices, and opticians, as well as monitoring services like NHS England.

Alternatively, there are roles in social care and public health to support people and protect their health. Learn more about careers in the NHS here.

Read more: Beat the ageism game. How to create a great CV when you’re over 50

2. Are you bloody brilliant?

Thanks to their kindness, blood donors save thousands of lives every day. But there is still an urgent need for more supplies. The NHS requires 5000 blood donations every day and 135,000 new donors every year.

Although it may seem disconcerting to some, there is always a member of staff by your side to make sure you’re all right. And, there’s usually a cheeky bicky and squash after, to up your sugars.

Most people aged between 17 and 65 can give blood. However, the NHS specifically needs 40,000 more Black donors to support the growing demand and treat sickle cell disease. If you feel like you can help and support the NHS as it turns 75, click here for more information.

Winner of the ‘Our Partners’ category for the NHS staff & volunteers FUJIFILM competition. Photo: Mary McConnell & Jenny Brodie

3. Could you volunteer locally?

NHS and CARE Volunteer Responders allow you to support the NHS, its patients, and people through social care. A dedicated app makes this work flexible – roles are advertised here if you are interested.

Other volunteer roles include companionship for patients, being a first responder, fundraising, and supporting charities. Or you could even become a hospital radio DJ! There are more details here.

4. Are you on the NHS Organ Donor Register?

If you decide to donate your organs after you die, you will save or transform the life of up to nine lives, and more by donating tissue.

You can register your decision here. But remember, it is always a good idea to discuss this with your loved ones so that they are in the know.

Winner of the ‘Our Environment’ category for the NHS staff & volunteers FUJIFILM competition. Photo: Joe Cartwright

5. What is the NHS1000 miles challenge?

To mark the 75^th birthday of the NHS, you can join the NHS1000-mile challenge and commit to walking, running, swimming, or cycling 1000 miles this year. That may sound impossible, but on average it’s only 2.74 miles per day – so let’s get those steps in.

Participants are encouraged to keep a record of their weekly miles and share their progress via Twitter every Sunday night using the hashtag #NHS1000miles.

Let’s not forget – physical activity is great for our physical and mental health. We should all aim to be active every day to improve our sleep, clear our minds, and boost our energy.

It’s free to take part in, but there is the option to get sponsored. You can set up a Just Giving page here and this spreadsheet will allow you to track your miles. To get started, try the NHS Couch to 5K or attend your local park run. Good luck!

6. Do you want to transform the health of the nation?

The health revolution that has taken place over the last 75 years would not be possible without the 230+ NHS charities located in the UK.

By volunteering and donating to NHS charities, you can support research, renovation, technologies, and the staff, who help the NHS transform the health and wellbeing of the nation. If you are interested in offering your support, learn more about it here.

7. Did you know you can get involved in research?

Research is the foundation of the NHS. And further research will play an important part in shaping the future of the NHS by discovering life-saving treatments, uncovering the secrets behind diseases, and developing the answers to the problems causing ill health today.

It is super easy for us all to get involved and help design research studies and advise what the priorities for the future should be. Get in touch here with questions you want the NHS to find the answers for, find research applications up for review, and decide what research gets funded.

To support the NHS as it turns 75, take part in a study, pop over to your GP and ask for information on trials or studies in your area. Or click here to sign up for alerts.

Photo: Nicolas Leclerq

From everyone at Silver, happy birthday NHS and thank you for everything you do. Here’s to many more years of revolutionary healthcare and outstanding kindness.

Click here for more NHS birthday events and news.

Beth Pratt

Beth is one of Silver’s interns. She loves reading and studying literature. Entering her final year of university, Beth still finds time to dance, swim, and have a pint with friends. Her favourite hobby is going to coffee shops, if you can call it a hobby!

The post 7 ways to support the NHS – things you can do appeared first on Silver Magazine.