Voice UK Community

Voice UK Community We all have lived experience, wisdom and ideas to share. Share your insights to improve the lives of people across the globe.

By joining our Voice Community you can contribute yours to shape a future led by the needs and aspirations of real people. Our story began in 2007, when Professors Lynne Corner and Jim Edwardson first established Voice® after working on a UK Government Office for Science report on Valuing Mental Capital through the life-course. In our daily work, we saw every day the immense wisdom, knowledge, and experience of older people, many of whom were retired, and recognised what an untapped pool of talent, imagination and creativity was locked in this ever growing group of people. We recognised that many people have a lifetime of lived experience – from ‘living life’ but also professional experience – often 30, 40, 50 plus years working in a myriad of different sectors and roles. And it was clear that people want to connect, are keen to share their experience, exchange perspectives and eager to make a visible and meaningful difference, both now and for the future. So, our purpose was simple – to help make this happen, harness experience and wisdom as an asset and value this incredible and collective capability & capacity - creating a thriving global community of “innovation & research ready citizens” for better addressing global challenges and realising the opportunities around healthy longevity. Regardless of your age or background, we ALL have unique experiences and skills. Join Voice® today to contribute yours to shape the research and innovation of tomorrow.

“I could either stay angry… or do something useful with that energy.”That’s how David describes the moment that changed ...
09/04/2026

“I could either stay angry… or do something useful with that energy.”

That’s how David describes the moment that changed things.

After caring for his mum, he chose to speak up and to get involved through Voice.

Since then, he’s helped shape research, shared his experiences, and even co-authored an academic paper.

But what matters most is that his lived experience became part of something bigger.

At Voice + NICA, we believe the best ideas come from combining people’s real experiences with new technologies and listening, learning, and designing better together.

And David shows just how powerful that can be.

If you’ve ever felt like your experience should count, this is for you.

👇 Read David’s story:

https://bit.ly/4878UF1

💥 Do certain sounds make you feel instantly angry or anxious?If chewing, tapping, or breathing triggers a strong emotion...
08/04/2026

💥 Do certain sounds make you feel instantly angry or anxious?

If chewing, tapping, or breathing triggers a strong emotional reaction, you might have - a real and often debilitating condition where specific sounds provoke intense responses.

Despite how common it is, misophonia isn’t yet an official clinical diagnosis, and there’s no “gold standard” treatment. Researchers at Newcastle University are looking for people who experience strong negative reactions to specific sounds.

What you’ll do:

📝 Complete a short online questionnaire (25 mins)
🎧 Take part in a 2.5-hour session at Newcastle University’s Auditory Cognition Lab, including hearing tests, sound tasks, and EEG recordings (all safe and non-invasive)

🎁 As a thank you, participants will receive £20 Amazon vouchers at the end of the session!

👇 Interested? Learn more here:

https://bit.ly/3O3kEBw

Over 1 in 4 adults in England live with obesity.New drugs like   and   are changing how people manage weight. But there’...
07/04/2026

Over 1 in 4 adults in England live with obesity.

New drugs like and are changing how people manage weight. But there’s still a lot we don’t know - beyond weight loss, like how these drugs affect supermarkets, takeaways, and daily life.

Researchers from Newcastle University are running short online workshops to hear your views and experiences.

What would you be doing?

💻 A 1-hour online workshop to discuss the research and share your insights
👥 Around 10 participants per workshop
📆 Sessions available on 12th, 13th, or 26th May

Your voice can help shape future research and public health!

👇 Find out more and sign up here:

https://bit.ly/3PWxZfp

😴 Ever feel like your energy just disappears without warning? Researchers at Newcastle University are developing Fatigue...
02/04/2026

😴 Ever feel like your energy just disappears without warning?

Researchers at Newcastle University are developing FatigueSense, an app that uses data from wearables (like heart rate and activity) to better understand fatigue and help people manage their energy.

Taking part involves:

📝 Completing short daily fatigue questionnaires (2–3 mins)
📱 Reviewing app insights and saying if they feel accurate (around 3 mins)
💬 Sharing feedback on your experience (around 2 mins)
⏰ Around 10 minutes in total
🏠 Taking part from home

Your feedback will help refine the app and make sure it’s useful, accessible, and relevant for people living with fatigue.

👇 Interested? Find out more and get involved:

https://bit.ly/4s40oxv

01/04/2026

👭 Are you curious about how people in different parts of the world are thinking about friendship?

Over the past few months, we at Voice + NICA and our global community have been listening to people across the UK, Taiwan and Italy.

122 people. Different lives, different cultures.

❤️ But one shared message: Friendship is essential to living well.

And yet, many people told us they have fewer close friendships than they used to.

Not because it matters less but because life gets full, and the spaces where friendship once grew naturally begin to disappear.

What we’re learning is simple, but important and that is that friendship doesn’t just happen. It grows through time, shared moments, and the spaces that bring people together.

And if we want longer lives to be good lives, this is something we need to pay attention to.

👇 We’ve brought together the first insights from our Global Conversation on Friendship and we’d love you to have a read:

https://bit.ly/4lUYVrN

Have you been tested for possible endometrial cancer?Researchers at Imperial College London want to hear from people who...
31/03/2026

Have you been tested for possible endometrial cancer?

Researchers at Imperial College London want to hear from people who’ve had tests (like biopsies or scans) but were later told they did not have endometrial cancer.

💬 Take part in a short online session to share your experience
💡 Help improve the diagnostic process and explore the potential for a future blood test
🎁 Receive a £20 Amazon voucher as a thank you

Your experience could help make the diagnostic journey better for others!

👇 Sign up here:

https://bit.ly/4bN6wUC

❤️ Have you or someone you care for been diagnosed with breast cancer?Newcastle University are looking for people who ha...
26/03/2026

❤️ Have you or someone you care for been diagnosed with breast cancer?

Newcastle University are looking for people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, or care for someone with a diagnosis, to help shape and guide an important research project exploring breast cancer risk in patients who have undergone CT scans.

🎁 You’ll take part in just two online meetings (around 1 hour each), and receive up to £100 gift card as a thank you for your time.

Your voice can help shape research that could make a real difference!

👇 Find out more here:

https://bit.ly/4uQSMRA

💡 How could genetics guide mental health treatment?Researchers from Newcastle University want to hear from adults who ha...
25/03/2026

💡 How could genetics guide mental health treatment?

Researchers from Newcastle University want to hear from adults who have taken medication for a mental health condition. Your experiences can help shape how the NHS uses genetic information to improve treatment.

What’s involved?

• Fill in a short demographic questionnaire
• Join a 45–60 minute online interview with one of our friendly researchers

The conversation will be relaxed and informal.

🎁 You will receive a £25 voucher as a thank you.

Interested? Find out more here👇

https://bit.ly/4t00iYt

🌍 As part of our global conversations on friendship and living longer, we’ve been listening to people around the world s...
24/03/2026

🌍 As part of our global conversations on friendship and living longer, we’ve been listening to people around the world share what connection really means in their lives.

We know from research that being socially isolated increases the risk of dying earlier.

And yet, we don’t always think about connection in the same way we think about other parts of our health.

At Voice + the National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA), this is the question we’re really interested in: "How do we create more connection, more friendship, more togetherness in everyday life?"

And we start by listening.

In Taiwan, Voice member 81-year-old Mrs Chi shared something that really captures what good friendship looks like: “If we haven’t been in touch for a few days, I’ll call her.”

For her, it comes down to this insight: “Connection cannot depend on chance.”

It’s a simple idea, but it is very powerful.

Friendship isn’t just something that happens over time.

- It’s something we take part in
- It's something we must keep going
- It's something that helps us stay well

Connection matters, but we have to do something to keep it going.

👉 Read Mrs Chi’s full story here: https://bit.ly/4rK7qXX

Have you or someone close to you had experience with prostate cancer?The Southampton Clinical Trials Unit is designing a...
19/03/2026

Have you or someone close to you had experience with prostate cancer?

The Southampton Clinical Trials Unit is designing a new study to explore whether “liquid biopsy” blood tests could help improve the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Researchers from the University of Southampton are inviting people with experience of prostate cancer to take part in a short survey to share their thoughts on the study idea and what participation would involve.

💬 Your feedback will help shape a funding application for the research and ensure real perspectives are considered from the very beginning.

👇 Take the short survey here:
https://bit.ly/4dn4Vau

Have you had breast-related surgery?Our programme, the Internet of Caring Things (IoCT), is inviting women to take part ...
18/03/2026

Have you had breast-related surgery?

Our programme, the Internet of Caring Things (IoCT), is inviting women to take part in a short 7-minute survey about experiences with post-surgery recovery wear.

Your insights could help improve post-surgery garments and recovery experiences for women in the future.

🎁 As a thank you, people who take part will be entered into a £50 prize draw.

👇 Take part here:
https://bit.ly/4se4J23

🏋️‍♂️ Have you ever walked into a gym and felt like it just wasn’t for you?  Most people don’t use gyms at all. Yet we s...
17/03/2026

🏋️‍♂️ Have you ever walked into a gym and felt like it just wasn’t for you?

Most people don’t use gyms at all. Yet we spend billions developing new fitness technology and ever more sophisticated training spaces.

In our latest story, we explore a different idea from Wave Active in the UK. At one leisure centre, a new space called Lilian’s Room has been created for people who might normally feel excluded from gyms, including those rebuilding strength after illness or living with long-term health conditions.

One member described her experience: “I feel like I’m glowing. This is going to change my life.” In a sector often focused on performance and metrics, that word, 'glowing,' feels quietly powerful.

As more of us live longer lives, perhaps the real question isn’t how fit the fittest can become, but how we create spaces where more people feel comfortable rebuilding strength, confidence and connection.

What if gyms were places that helped us recover, rebuild strength and regain confidence, not just get fitter? What do you think?

📖 Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/40ysgi6

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