There is no question that apps and technology have had a huge part to play in supporting vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown.

People who might not have been so technology-savvy before lockdown have welcomed it with open arms, as for many it has become a way to stay connected with their loved ones and gain much-needed support on a practical and an emotional level.

Digital Scrapbook App, Storychest, is one of the many apps that has been answering the call for families to stay connected in a slightly different way to the instant gratification of a family Zoom call. The digital app has answered the need for families to share their personal stories on a much deeper level, something that has proved popular. In fact, the company has seen monthly registered users increase by 400% since lockdown began on 23rd March 2020.

Charlotte McMillian, Founder of Storychest puts it down to the innate human need for us to be experiencing life with our own tribe and this is why Storychest was created: “The idea for Storychest came from my own desire to keep stories about my family alive, including stories about my grandmother who was a much loved and central person in our family, and my father, a larger than life character who touched the lives of many but who sadly passed away before my children were born. I’ve passed on my grandmother’s recipes to my children through Storychest and mementoes from my father including postcards he sent me as child when he and mum went to Europe on trip (I grew up in Australia).  I wanted to create a way for my family and other families to capture the essence of their personal stories, so I created the Storychest app”, she said.

Over the last 70 days Storychest has seen a massive upsurge in new people downloading the app, especially among women over 55; as well as existing users who have been keeping CV-19 diaries digitally to preserve their thoughts and feelings of the time for future generations.

Charlotte, adds: “I knew from feedback we had received before lockdown that users really appreciated the intimacy of being able to share their personal stories in a private and safe space, but I wasn’t prepared for the huge spike in interest and positive reaction we’ve had from people who have discovered us for the first time. I’m so pleased that our app has been able to make such a positive difference and to help people to stay connected throughout lockdown.”

Storychest plans to continue its outreach to families, especially to those members who are over 65 and vulnerable people who are still shielding due to having health concerns.

Charlotte explains that she is also encouraging younger members of families to capture their thoughts at the moment, “Children have such a unique and unaffected lens through which they see the world, and we’re really keen for them to reflect on this fundamental time in our modern history. I’m asking my own children and friends’ children to capture it in their own words or pictures, as something to look back on as we work towards our ‘new normal’”. Storychest can be used by anyone from the age of 13, and it’s a great way to connect the generations.

Storychest is currently available on Apple devices and Charlotte and her team are researching funding methods to help with development of the Android version of the app to make it accessible to a wider audience.

For more information about Storychest, visit Storychest.com or to download the app and receive your first 30 stories for free, go to the App Store to start creating your digital scrapbook.