Who Are You?

Are you related to some brawny Scots clan chief or fiercesome woad-painted warrior (Wha sent him hame tae think agin) or are your origins a little more humble?

Perhaps your lineage has more to do with some viking visitor - Hagar the Horrible?

Or that smooth talking Irishman with the gift o ' the gab?

Maybe there's dark secrets in your past and you've got Harry the Haggis in your bloodline?
(If that's a yes then your ancestors have lots to answer for!)

OK, it's not often the pages of this site get serious but now's your chance to help out in a study being conducted by leading geneticists from Oxford University who are involved in a project researching possible cures and prevention for heart disease and cancer, among others.

The study, sponsored by the medical charity The Wellcome Trust, aims to collect 3500 samples throughout the UK from people whose parents and grandparents were born in the same rural locality.

The Science Bit ....

Scotland is a really important region as there are strong links in different areas to the Norse Vikings, Danish Vikings and Irish. Oban in particular has been influenced by both the Irish and Norse.

This means that by comparing volunteers from the area with other parts of Scotland, it should be possible to tease out the genetic influences from both these peoples. Then the egg heads will work their lil bit o' magic and startle us with their brilliance.

Can you help and do you qualify?

Are you aged over 18?
Are your grandparents on both sides of the family born within a 40(ish) mile radius?

How long?
It'll take less than an hour including the little talk which even though I don't qualify, I'm going for a listen (But don't tell them! sssshhhh)

Where?
Corran Halls, Oban on the Wednesday 9th April 2008 between 1pm and 5pm.Later on in the year, possibly at the Lorn Show and a final visit sometime in 2009

Everything will be explained on the day but if you would like to volunteer for the project in advance, or just want further information, please contact Tammy Day any day including weekends (Poor girl, give her a holiday!) between 9am and 8pm on:

Telephone numbers ..... 01865 863 819, 07914 264 794
or click here to email Tammy Day

Otherwise just turn up at The Corran Halls on Wednesday 9th April anytime between 1pm -5 pm listen to the short talk and then decide if you would like to volunteer.

A few minutes of your time and you could potentially save thousands of lives - if only everything in life was this easy.