Our work in Wales

  • Wales has its own Government and Parliament (Senedd) that makes decisions on health, education, food and many more important areas
  • Our Lead in Wales represents the charity in Wales
  • Two central staff members are also based in Wales but support members across the UK.

Our presence in Wales has never been more important.

Health, education, food and local services are all devolved to the Welsh Parliament (Senedd). Be it accessing gluten free food on prescription or ensuring your child is catered for in school, the decisions made here can have a huge impact on the lives of people with coeliac disease across Wales.

That’s why we work with politicians, healthcare professionals, commercial partners and our members to ensure the interests of those with coeliac disease are at the heart of decision making in Wales.

We also work with our four local groups and around 3,000 members to provide support and advice to those with coeliac disease in their local communities as well as engaging with Welsh business to expand the availability of gluten free products.

View this page in Welsh/Gweld y dudalen hon yn Saesneg Cymraeg

In Wales we are...

Protecting your gluten free prescriptions

If you have coeliac disease, you are entitled to gluten free staple foods on prescriptions in Wales. We know how important this support is and we continue to work hard to protect it. With this in mind we have been supporting a trial scheme for gluten free prescribing in West Wales aimed at improving access to gluten free food by using a top up card. We hope this will help us better understand the challenges of accessing gluten free food on prescription so we can devise alternative approaches for the benefit of our coeliac community and the NHS.

Securing better support for children with coeliac disease in schools 

Coeliac UK has been working to improve the support available to children with coeliac disease in Welsh schools. We currently chair the Care in Schools Alliance, a grouping of 20 health professionals and charities, campaigning to secure better support for children with medical needs in schools. Thanks to this work, we helped gain greater protection for children with coeliac disease in Welsh schools by securing updated schools guidance and a vital amendment to the Additional Learning Needs (Wales) Act 2018.

Making your voice heard in the Welsh Parliament

The Welsh Parliament Cross Party Group on Coeliac Disease and DH is made up of Members of the Senedd (MS), healthcare professionals and Coeliac UK members. The group is chaired by Rhun Ap Iorwerth MS/AC and meets regularly to drive policy solutions to issues facing people with coeliac disease in Wales. We also regularly host events in the Senedd to raise awareness of the condition with Welsh policy makers .

Representing the coeliac community in the media

We regularly raise awareness of coeliac disease in the media through interviews and stories in press, radio, tv and online. In recent years Coeliac UK staff and members have appeared on BBC online, BBC Radio Cymru, Radio Wales, S4C newydddion  and ITV Wales.

Supporting members through our local groups

We have 4 local groups across Wales comprised of volunteers who meet regularly to provide support and advice to each other, as well as raising awareness of coeliac disease and Coeliac UK.

Meet the team

Tristan Humphreys, Head of Advocacy

Tristan Humphreys - Lead in WalesTristan joined Coeliac UK in March 2015 and represents the charity in Wales. He is responsible for delivering the charity’s strategy here. He has a background in campaigns and public affairs, having previously covered political campaigns for Oxfam across the London and South East region and more recently headed Wales’ Fair Trade Nation campaign in his role as Campaigns Manager for Fair Trade Wales. In October 2012 he was seconded by the Welsh Government to provide communications support to a group of NGOs in Mbale. He currently chairs the Advisory Board for the Centre for African Entrepreneurship.

A proud Welshman, Tristan grew up in mid Wales and now lives in Cardiff with his wife and two children. He holds a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Manchester and is a keen football fan. He leads on the charity's work in the devolved nations, representing us in discussions with policy makers in Scotland.

Naomi Bennett, Helpline Dietitian

Naomi DietitianNaomi is a registered dietitian and one of the membership team.
She is one of our dedicated helpline dietitians on hand to answer queries on coeliac disease and the gluten free diet from across the UK.

 

 

Health Advisory Committee members:

  • Dr Ieuan Davies, Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist, University Hospital of Wales
  • Siân Evans, Acute Paediatric Dietitian, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
  • Dr Geraint Preest, General Practitioner, Pencoed Medical Centre, Bridgend.

View this page in Welsh/Gweld y dudalen hon yn SaesnegCymraeg