Welcome

Hi everyone - Welcome to your Winter 2021 Somerset Coeliac group newsletter.

We hope everyone is keeping safe and healthy and that many of you have
had your booster jabs by now!

In the September Coeliac UK update, we were pleased to see that Coeliac
UK are now looking to restart events indoors. However, their primary concern is how safe people feel in meeting up in the present climate. To that effect, their question is

‘How do you feel about attending larger, face to face events,
indoors, before Spring?'

Obviously this is really important. So, in view of the fact that infection rates are up, there are increasing number in hospitals and current UK guidance; Coeliac UK and we feel that now, is not the right to start making plans for events before Spring 2022. As disappointing as that is, we feel that it is sensible to accept this decision and confirm that we will not hold any indoor events this year.

Coeliac UK have also indicated that they will be looking at how we can restart events safely in the Spring of 2022, including AGMs. They have said they will update us with their recommendations later in the year, hopefully before Christmas.

When we have their recommendations regarding restarting events, we will let everyone know. We plan to do a Spring newsletter, so look out for this.

No update from our Treasurer as our bank balance and cash flow remain
the same. Our AGM deposit for 2020 has been carried over to 2022.

Volunteer Lounges

These are held monthly by Coeliac UK for Organisers across the UK, and I
(the organiser), attend as many as I can. They are good discussion groups with speakers on various topics. So if you have any specific questions, concerns, or anything else you would like me to raise on your behalf, please do email me at somerset@coelaic.org.uk

Other News

We are pleased to welcome our new Volunteer Manager - Tracy Lerpiniere to the team and who will be working with Sian Paskin at Coeliac UK.

Help with your diagnosis including support for children

Coeliac UK have the following workshops planned to support you in your
journey of being a Coeliac, especially if you are newly diagnosed or have
children that have been diagnosed. Please go to their website and book
online.

The workshops available include;
• Supporting your child’s journey
• Eating out and travel – Wednesday 1December
• Newly diagnosed – 6 December
• Meeting your nutritional needs: calcium and iron – New dates
available shortly. Join waiting list or let us know you are interested
at dietitian@coeliac.org.uk

Coeliac UK members also receive a 20% discount.

Christmas Shop

Coeliac UK have a fantastic range of Christmas cards and merchandise
on offer, so you can start getting festive and support Coeliac UK. Make a
purchase today and help us continue being there for the people who
need us.

Other Support/Donations

Its good to support us in any way you can. Also for those of you that
may not know, if you use Amazon, you can use ‘Amazon Smile’. Each
time you place an order, by choosing your own charity i.e. Coeliac UK,
within Amazon Smile from a dropdown menu, you can make a donation
to Coeliac UK every time through Amazon Smile.

Coeliac UK Survey

Coeliac UK have launched a survey on local information and support needs. The aim of the survey is to find out what our community would like delivered locally by Coeliac UK in the post pandemic world. They will use the findings from the survey to help them shape our new local support and engagement strategy which aims to deliver a better information and support experience for everyone in our community, wherever they happen to live.

The survey is available now and will close on Tuesday 21 December.

You can find the survey here.

Wildcraft Bakery, Leeds

During August 2021 I spent a fabulous 2 nights in Leeds revisiting my husband’s student experiences from over 25 years ago.  As a coeliac of 45 years I also made sure that our trip included some great gluten free treats too!

We visited the Wildcraft bakery in Leeds which I’d seen recommended many times on gluten free groups on Facebook.  We booked ahead to ensure we had a table as it is very popular.  Arriving to an entirely gluten free café and bakery with a fantastic display and menu was just brilliant.  The donut display was just too much having never had a donut other than mail order before!

My very sensible (non-coeliac husband) suggested we should have lunch before diving in to the doughnuts so I very excitedly ordered a panini.  He chose a falafel burger.

The food arrived and the bread was amazing – soft and not dry and proper size portions.  (I don’t know about you but we often end up discussing why everything gluten free is half the size!)

Dessert – so hard to choose but the waffle with ice cream and everything chocolate was calling us both.  Simply amazing and enormous…

All in all well worth a trip, great food with friendly service.

Denise

(Somerset Coeliac Group Volunteer)

Keep in Touch

Get in touch with us by:

Email: somerset@coeliac.org.uk

Facebook: @somersetcoeliacgroup

Twitter: @somersetcoeliac

Instagram: @somersetcoeliacgroup

Best wishes

Wendy Hughes, Anika Cox, Richard Derry and Denise Hurr

Committee