Live Well Gluten Free

www.coeliac.org.uk | 45 In the Spotlight We have an amazing community spread across the whole UK – from volunteers to healthcare professionals. After a particularly challenging year, with lots of change and worry, we caught up with some of our members to find out how they’ve coped and what they’re looking forward to most in the future. Our amazing community >> PEOPLE Wilma, Edinburgh “As Group Organiser of the Edinburgh Group, during the lockdowns keeping in touch with the committee and members has not been difficult. With careful planning and discussion with committee, we have embraced technology, using emails, phone calls and Zoom. We adjusted our usual pre covid events, for example conducting our New Members meetings on Zoom. We have found Zoom and Facebook to be the perfect platforms for reaching out to members, committee and Coeliac UK. Personally the biggest challenge has been learning more about the workings of Zoom, but I’m keen to learn new technology and with the help of Charlie at Coeliac UK, I’m getting there! As things get back to normal, I’m looking forward to seeing family, friends, old coeliac friends and giving big hugs! My plans for the way forward are not to take things for granted and enjoy each day and friendship to its fullest. Also, to continue working alongside a great committee, in order to keep our Edinburgh group as a great support for our local coeliac community.” Wilma, Group Organiser of Coeliac UK Edinburgh Local Group Abi, Cardiff “Lockdown has certainly made us change the way we work, as with many areas of life over the past year! As a committee we keep in touch over WhatsApp and have catch ups over Zoom. Our Facebook group has been really active, from members looking for a good local takeaway to cake recommendations! We also ran a children’s competition last year which went down really well. We had numerous entries and it was a great opportunity to engage with families. Although we’re not able to meet in person, we’ve held a few virtual coffee mornings, which has been a really nice way to keep in touch with existing members and welcome newly diagnosed members to the group. I think all of us as a committee miss a good meal out! We’re looking forward to re-organising our group meal in Newport, when it is safe to do so. We’re also looking into holding a food fayre when things get back to normal so watch this space!...” Abi, Treasurer of Coeliac UK Cardiff Local Group