Yes. Many of our volunteers work full time. We aim to provide flexible roles which can be carried out around your other commitments, be they work, family or leisure.
Get involved FAQs
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Can I volunteer if I work full time?
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How many hours do you require from volunteers?
It’s entirely up to you how many hours you can give. There are a range of roles requiring different amounts of time – from long-term involvement in the Volunteer Support Groups to one-off projects.
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I am a journalist, who can I contact?
If you have any queries relating to an article please call our PR Consultant, Kate Newman: 07952 071014 or contact her through email. The Charity holds a database of case-studies and would be happy to arrange interviews as required. We routinely issue news releases which attract national and local coverage.
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I am very busy and only have limited spare time, what can I do?
No matter how little time you can spare, there is always something you can do to help get our message across to others. There are lots of people like you who have busy lives and other commitments, but lots of people doing a little, adds up to a lot.
You could spend 15 minutes using a template to write to your MP, complete an online petition or survey, or, if you have a little longer, talk to your local restaurant about catering gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. . Whatever you’re happy to do, it will all help to raise awareness about coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. .
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I don’t see how my small contribution can make a difference.
Campaigning is about getting people who can create change to listen to what you’re saying. This is a slow process which can often mean repeating the same thing in different ways, to the same audience. The more people that get involved in a campaign, the more impact it will have.
We rely on local people like yourself, to help us make a difference in your local community. If a lot of people get involved in communities across the country, then the activity joins up and creates a national campaign.
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What are the benefits of volunteering with Coeliac UK?
Volunteering with Coeliac UK can offer a range of benefits. It can be a great chance to:
- meet new people
- build confidence
- try something new
- make a difference
- have fun!
Throughout your role you will be supported by the staff at Coeliac UK. We will provide you with information, advice and updates throughout your time as a volunteer.
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What can I do to help?
There is a range of ways to get involved, and there is something for everyone. Whether you tell your story through being a case studyA person who offers their story to the media as a real example of living with coeliac disease. , write to your MP, collect signatures for a petition or host an event, everything helps to raise awareness about coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. .
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What is Awareness Week?
This is our busiest campaigning time where local Voluntary Support Groups around the country host events which feed into a national picture of campaigning.
This translates to people holding events focused around a particular theme, as well as, amongst other activities, writing to their MPs, speaking to the media and fundraising for us.
Usually Awareness WeekOur main annual campaign which focuses around a theme to raise awareness about coeliac disease. is in May, and lasts from Monday to Sunday.
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What is the Cross Party Group in Scottish Parliament?
The Cross Party GroupCross Party Group on coeliac disease and DH in Scottish Parliament and also the Welsh Assembly is a special interest group which MSPs and WAMs can join. We are on this Group as a means of exerting pressure on Parliament. on Coeliac DiseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. and DH in Scottish Parliament is a special interest group, which Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and other interested parties can join. Coeliac UK is on this Group as a means of exerting pressure on the Parliament. We also have a similar group in Westminster and one in Wales.
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What is the Eating Out campaign?
This campaign focuses on the food service sector, so those who provide food in restaurants and eateries around the country.
We want to make eating out easier for people with coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. , which means access to safe gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. options that are clearly marked on menus.
We have been working with this sector and raising awareness through our GlutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. -free Chef of the Year competition, to get chefs and catering college students to plan gluten-free menus. We’ve also worked with industry specialists and created education tools to work with the sector in getting gluten-free dishes onto menus.
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What is the Product campaign?
We would like to see better availability of gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. food in supermarkets and on prescription.
There have recently been developments in this sphere as the international standard on glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. -free food has changed. We have been campaigning to make sure that the change to the standard is a positive change for people with coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. .
We work with manufacturers and industry leaders, such as the British Retail Consortium, to ensure that we can find a path which works for industry leaders, as well as people with coeliac disease.
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What is the Recognition campaign?
The medical profession has so far, under recognised coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. . It is not routinely tested for at the moment, and we are campaigning to change this.
We would like to see coeliac disease better recognised by the medical profession so that people with symptoms of the condition are picked up more quickly and diagnosis improves. By talking to healthcare professionals about coeliac disease and the problems you face, we hope to improve the situation.
We are currently carrying out a Diagnosis Survey to help us with this campaign, as well as running a petition to ask the government to improve diagnosis of coeliac disease. We are also working with healthcare bodies to improve GPs’ knowledge of the condition.
We have already made progress with this campaign as we saw NICENational Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence - an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health. NICE had produced a clinical guideline on the recognition and assessment of coeliac disease. publish guidelines on the diagnosis of coeliac disease in May 2009. This was a direct result of a campaign we ran in 2006, and proves that whilst campaigning can be a slow process, it does work.
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What qualifications and experience is required?
Coeliac UK volunteers have a range of backgrounds and skills but are united in their goal to help the Charity. We do not ask for any specific qualifications and no previous experience of volunteering is necessary. The roles have been designed to be flexible so that you can tailor them to your experiences and strengths.
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What support am I given as a volunteer?
There is a team at High Wycombe dedicated to supporting you. They will provide you with the materials and tools you need to support you in your role.
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What support can you provide if I am to organise an event?
Were you to organise an event as part of one of our campaigns, we would supply you with support materials.
Usually, particularly for Awareness WeekOur main annual campaign which focuses around a theme to raise awareness about coeliac disease. , we have an information toolkit packed with activity ideas. We also have balloons and leaflets which we can send to you.
Do let us know in good time when you’re holding an event as we can put it into our monthly email newsletter to help drive up your attendance numbers.
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Why does Coeliac UK engage with volunteers?
Coeliac UK engages with volunteers because they are very important in helping us achieve our vision and mission. Not only do volunteers add to the Charity through their skills and experiences, but they also bring with them passion and a desire to help.
Volunteers are an essential part of Coeliac UK.
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Why does raising awareness take such a long time?
We have already made progress with the Recognition campaign as we saw NICENational Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence - an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health. NICE had produced a clinical guideline on the recognition and assessment of coeliac disease. publish guidelines on the diagnosis of coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. in May 2009. This was a direct result of a campaign we ran in 2006, and proves that whilst campaigning can be a slow process, it does work.
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Donations
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£10Could help to produce a Food and Drink Directory, detailing products that are suitable for the gluten-free diet.
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£15Could help to produce 10 information packs for newly diagnosed adults and children. It could also help towards the running costs of our Helpline.
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£20Could help towards the cost of raising awareness of coeliac disease and DH amongst the general public, medical profession and food industries.
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£50Could help towards medical research into all aspects of coeliac disease and DH.
