Crossed Grain

November 2019 Issue 107 Your charity newsletter VOLUNTEERS’ CONFERENCE Look inside for local group events, community updates and opportunities, and how you can help... GIVING BACK TO OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY I n September we brought our fantastic volunteers together to celebrate the work they do for the gluten free community and give them the ‘thank you’ they deserve. Former Chair of Governers, Mike Elliott opened the conference and spoke about how far the charity has come thanks to the work of volunteers. Plus Jane Devonshire was on hand to share her experiences with coeliac disease and sign copies of her book, Hassle Free Gluten Free . The day also provided a chance for Coeliac UK staff to share insights and tips with a variety of talks and workshops. Most importantly of all, volunteers had the chance to network with one another and share their experiences. Highlights of the day included some great gluten free food (thanks to our GF accredited venue), one to one ICT clinics, and workshops on how to use our popular apps to make shopping and eating out easier, how to better harness social media to grow local group communities and how to promote the uptake of Crossed Grain certification and GF accreditation. We were also delighted to welcome some volunteer speakers – Charlotte, our first teenage speaker and Leanne and Sally, who talked us through organising children’s events. Look inside to read more about Charlotte’s story and why it’s so important. To all the volunteers who attended, we want to thank you for coming. It was great to connect in person and find out more about the valuable work you do in your communities. And to everyone who couldn’t make it, don’t worry – there will be a next time and we hope to see you there! Volunteers play an incredibly important role within the charity and we simply couldn’t do what we do without you. For more information about volunteering opportunities please visit coeliac.org.uk/volunteer to find out how you can get involved.