Leading support charity Coeliac UK is aiming to raise awareness of the condition this month with a fundraising campaign, which uses the theme of 64. This number represents the 64% of people living with undiagnosed coeliac disease in the UK currently.
Coeliac Disease is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues when gluten, a dietary protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is eaten. Many Coeliacs are also sensitive to oats.
The condition affects 1 in 100 people in the UK, however only 36% are medically diagnosed. This means that there are an estimated 500,000 people living in the UK who are currently undiagnosed.
The virtual challenge runs from until 31 May and is designed to raise awareness, so no one will have to face Coeliac Disease alone.
Fundraising ideas include baking 64 of your favourite treats, taking on the challenge of walking, running, or cycling 64 kilometres or miles throughout the month, or read 64 chapters, pages or books, (reading 64 books is certainly not a challenge for the faint hearted!)
Swindon Coeliac UK group Secretary Zoe Thomas, said: “We know that around 1% of the population have the disease, so that would be around 2,200 in Swindon. However, only around 36% will have a formal diagnosis, leaving around 1,400 who will be suffering with symptoms, and they won’t necessarily know that they could be managing those symptoms.
“The aim of the group is to support all people with Coeliac Disease and their families and to raise awareness of the condition. The group is open to all ages including those with no formal diagnosis of coeliac disease, we do not have any membership fees. We collate members’ recommendations on local places that cater for people eating gluten-free.
“The Swindon Coeliac group run regular coffee mornings, afternoon socials and organise local events including a hugely popular all-you-can-eat Chinese at the Oriental Aroma in Royal Wootton Bassett. All of the food will be gluten-free so there is no risk of cross-contamination.
“We normally have an event or two every month, most of them are drop-in events where there is no need to book.”
There are over 100 food venues, including restaurants, takeaways, cafes and pubs, in and around Swindon that offer either an adapted gluten-free menu or a dedicated gluten-free menu.
The Swindon Coeliac Group have collated a comprehensive list of the restaurants, pubs and cafes across Swindon and the surrounding areas that offer gluten-free options, and can be found here: Eating Out Gluten Free - Coeliac UK
The next events the group will hold in Swindon will be:
- 11 June 2pm at the Swindon Hub (always the second Wednesday of the month)
- 14 June 2pm at Eastcott Studios
- 20 June 2pm at The Dandelion Gifts and Coffee Shop in Royal Wootton Bassett (always the third Friday of the month)
Full details of all upcoming events are on the website: https://www.coeliac.org.uk/local-groups/swindon/
For more information on Coeliac Disease please visit Coeliac UK and the NHS Website
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