Welcome
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2022! We would like to wish all our members a very Happy New Year.
We were very pleased to be able to hold two events in the last couple of months – a children’s event at Alice Holt Forest and a coffee morning at Waitrose in Basingstoke. You can read about both of these events, along with details of events we’re planning for January and February below.
Coeliac UK was hoping to relax its guidance for face-to-face meetings soon but unfortunately, as a result of the spread of the Omicron variant they have decided that it is safer for the time being to restrict any indoor meetings to small events like coffee mornings. We’ll let you know when the guidance changes.
As always, we would love to hear from you, whether you have a recipe you think we would like to try, any suggestions for great places to eat out, ideas for Zoom get-togethers, or just to say hello, please do contact us. We are especially keen to hear from any newly diagnosed members so we can do our best to help you as you get used to the gluten free way of life.
You can find out more about the local group, including upcoming events, on our recently updated webpage in the Local Groups section of the Coeliac UK website. Our Facebook page (Coeliac UK North Hampshire Local Group) is a good way of keeping in touch and you can also email us at northhampshire@coeliac.org.uk
With best wishes to everyone for 2022 and we hope to see some of you soon, either on Zoom or at our coffee morning.
Carol, Faye, Gemma, Keith, Lesley, Margaret and Tom
Review of Alice Holt children's event in October
A sunny Sunday in October saw several families gathering at Alice Holt Forest near Farnham. Fun was had exploring the new Gruffalo Trail and play parks, with lunch at the outdoor tables. The parents benefited from sharing mutual experiences and it was great to see the children bonding as they played together.
We have received interest from parents for further outdoor family events in future, so please feel free to contact us with suggestions for venues
Coffee morning - save the date
We were delighted to meet a number of members face to face at the November coffee morning, our first indoor gathering for many months. The Waitrose Café staff went out of their way to be helpful, and were keen to show us a new gluten-free oat milk. Waitrose Café is spacious, the staff were all masked, enabling us all to feel comfortable. In line with Plan B guidance and advice from Coeliac UK, we will be back at Waitrose on Saturday 29 January 2022, where you are welcome to pop by any time between 10 a.m. and noon. Unless eating or drinking, a mask is required. If there is a material change to the guidance, we will update you via e-mail.
https://www.coeliac.org.uk/local-groups/north-hampshire/events/6925-coffee-morning/
Virtual Dietician’s Q&A - save the date
Following last year’s popular event, we are pleased to announce that we will be holding another Virtual Dietician’s Q&A session with Laura Coxden, dietician at Basingstoke Hospital, on Wednesday 23 February at 7pm.
Please email us at northhampshire@coeliac.org.uk if you would like to attend, including any topics or specific questions you would like to ask her. The deadline to confirm if you will be attending and for sending any questions is Friday 11 February 2022. The event will be held on Zoom with log in details to be shared with those people who register their interest.
https://www.coeliac.org.uk/local-groups/north-hampshire/events/6927-dietician-qanda-session/
Future events survey
As you are aware your committee sent out a survey in 2021, to get your views on the types of activities, you would like to attend.
From the results received, it is clear that our members are keen to resume activities. The types of activities our members want to attend include;
- Coffee mornings
- Afternoon Tea
- Dietician event
- Evening meal
- Newly Diagnosed member event
Keep looking out for our newsletters and Facebook page for more details on events.
Featured recipe - gluten free dumplings
This time of year when the temperature plummets is the perfect time to dig out winter recipes such as warming casseroles. If you have had to forgo enjoying a casserole with dumplings since your coeliac diagnosis then read on for a tasty recipe that Gemma recently discovered from Becky Excell (who has recently been appointed a Coeliac UK ambassador).
"My first attempt at gluten free dumplings was a success thanks to an easy recipe I found online at Becky Excell's blog (link below). We really enjoyed them and hope you do too!"
Ingredients for dumplings (enough for 4 portions)
- 125g gf self raising flour
- 70g margarine (cubed)
- 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 75ml water
Recipe
- Rub the margarine into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs
- Mix in dried herbs
- Add in water and mix to form a dough
- Dust hands with gf flour, then roll dough into small balls (allow for them to expand when cooking)
- Add the dumplings to the top of your casserole for the last 20mins and cook in the oven at approx 180 deg C.
Visit Becky's blog here for further details on the recipe, as well as how to make the chicken casserole.
