diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index c4ed208..9dc1383 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/var/cache/apt \
     echo 'exec /opt/venv/bin/python3.10 "$@"' > /usr/bin/python &&\
     # Activate the venv in every terminal
     echo "source /opt/venv/bin/activate" >> /home/rstudio/.bashrc &&\
+    # Print the MOTD/help text in every shell
+    echo "cat /etc/motd" >> /home/rstudio/.bashrc &&\
     # Configure RStudio Server to run without auth
     echo "auth-none=1" >> /etc/rstudio/rserver.conf &&\
     echo "USER=rstudio" >> /etc/environment &&\
@@ -47,6 +49,9 @@ COPY --chown=rstudio:rstudio --from=ghcr.io/opensafely-core/python:v2 /opt/venv
 # hadolint ignore=DL3022
 COPY --chown=rstudio:rstudio --from=ghcr.io/opensafely-core/r:latest /renv/lib/R-4.0/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/ /usr/local/lib/R/site-library
 
+# copy in the MOTD file containing the required help text
+COPY motd /etc/motd
+
 # Required for installing opensafely cli
 ENV PATH="/home/rstudio/.local/bin:${PATH}"
 
diff --git a/motd b/motd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f219ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/motd
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+This is an OpenSAFELY Codespace
+
+All 'opensafely' commands (e.g 'opensafely run', 'opensafely exec') are availble
+in this terminal.
+
+The latest version of ehrQL has been installed, and the Python and R libraries installed
+here are the same as those available in the corresponding OpenSAFELY actions.
+
+Additional help is available in the #opensafely-users Slack channel and at
+https://docs.opensafely.org/getting-started/how-to/use-github-codespaces-in-your-project/