Crossed Grain August 2020

SUPPORTER NEWS | 3 Whilst coronavirus has presented many challenges for our research community, it’s also created opportunities to explore new ways of working together and sharing knowledge. Despite our face to face Research Conference being cancelled this year, with the support of the research community, we were able to record their presentations and make them available to watch online, to ensure the very latest research reaches our gluten free community, healthcare professionals and the wider research network. You can watch our Digital Research Conference presentations by visiting www.coeliac.org.uk/RC2020 . Researchers involved in identifying a new diagnostic test for coeliac disease have also been applying their knowledge of immune cells to the development of a potential test that may be able to determine, if at any point, someone has had coronavirus. We spoke to Dr Elizabeth Soilleux (pictured) from the University of Cambridge about this during Gluten Free Community Week, and you can watch her interview online at www.coeliac.org.uk/liz-soilleux . Coeliac UK funded research projects have been suspended whilst many researchers focus their efforts on the coronavirus pandemic, but they are expected to return to their normal schedules from October onwards. Stay up to date at www.coeliac.org.uk . The week was packed full of interactive online activities, designed to connect our gluten free community, whilst raising urgently needed funds for Coeliac UK. Thousands of you tuned in to watch our Ambassador, Jane Devonshire kick start the fun on Monday with a virtual bake along, while many more of you joined us later in the week to view our inspirational interviews with researcher Dr Elizabeth Soilleux, or take part in Friday’s virtual gluten free afternoon tea. Whilst all this was going on, we received many outstanding entries to our competitions. Adults and children alike sent in some wonderfully colourful and creative pieces for our art competition (Julie Kemp’s winning art entry is pictured), and we were touched by the stories of community support that you WORKING TOGETHER, APART KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTED shared for #ThankyouThursday . Our media work shone the spotlight on the campaign and helped us raise awareness of coeliac disease with a wider audience, and thank you to those who helped by sharing their stories too. Your incredible support enabled us to achieve over 4.7 million impressions of #gfcommunityweek on social media, increasing awareness of our charity and helping us to raise vital funds so we can continue to be here for everyone who needs to live gluten free, today and tomorrow. Thank you so much to our sponsors Nature’s Path, and to everyone who liked or shared our posts, blogged, donated, or did anything that helped us to show what an incredible community we have. We’re already working on plans for Awareness Week 2021, so don’t forget to save 10-16 May 2021 in your diary and keep an eye on www.coeliac.org.uk or Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates. Thank you to everyone who took part in our first ever Gluten Free Community Week, 11-17 May 2020.