Questions related to: Can I volunteer if I work full time?

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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 study, write to your MP, collect signatures for a petition or host an event, everything helps to raise awareness about coeliac disease.

What is the Health campaign?

The medical profession has so far, under recognised coeliac disease. 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 NICE 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.

What is the Product campaign?

We would like to see better availability of gluten-free food in supermarkets and on prescription. There have recently been developments in this sphere as the international standard on gluten-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 disease. 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.

Is it worth me renewing my membership with Coeliac UK?

Yes, together we continue to make a difference so no one’s life is limited by gluten. Our resources will help you with every aspect of your gluten free life.

As our reminder, with our Membership you will get:

  • Our essential Food Information Service listing over 150,000 gluten free and mainstream, products, updated daily
  • Our Live Well Gluten Free app to scan and check food as you shop and search over 3,000 gluten free accredited venues
  • Over 1,000 recipes for every occasion in our Home of Gluten Free Recipes
  • Travel tips to keep you safe in our travel guides
  • Over £250 worth of exclusive food, drink  product offers each year, straight to your inbox
  • Support and events through our local groups near you
  • One to one support through our Member2Member scheme, ideal for parents or newly diagnosed
  • Our flagship magazine Live Well Gluten Free keeping you up to date on all things gluten free
  • And much more!

I am a journalist, who can I contact?

If you have any queries relating to an article please email media@coeliac.org.uk or 01494 416372. 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.

What support am I given as a volunteer?

Our Volunteering team at our High Wycombe office are dedicated to supporting you. They will provide you with the materials and tools you need to support you in your role.

All volunteers will be given relevant resources and training for their role. The Coeliac UK Volunteering team are on hand to provide ongoing help and support during your time as a volunteer. Email us at volunteering@coeliac.org.uk to find out more.

Why are you putting up the membership fee?

Charities operate in an increasingly digital world and printing and postage costs have negatively impacted the entire sector. We have been trying to absorb these increased costs by using other sources of charity income to deliver the membership scheme and by limiting other areas of work. However, this isn’t a sustainable approach and if we want to keep on driving change and improvements for people living gluten free, we have no other choice but to slightly increase fees.

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 Week is in May, and lasts from Monday to Sunday.

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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