Gluten Freedom teens campaign for disease sufferers

Coeliac disease is a digestive condition in which a person has an adverse reaction to wheat, rye and barley which is found in everyday food such as bread, breakfast cereals and cakes.

The 16-strong group of students plan to create window stickers to identify cafes and restaurants which provide gluten-free options.

The activists called Gluten Freedom have made an online bid to fund 250 stickers through the website www.
gofundme.com/glutenfreedom.

Gluten Freedom, which comprises students aged 15 to 17 years, launched as part of the National Citizen Service.

The group’s members are Amory Lockwood, William Ruginis, Maryann Hoar, Lily Chambers, Tino Dzowa Zitsanza and Bethany Hickman of Dronfield Henry Fanshaw School; Iona Turner and Jennifer Kerry of Springwell Community College, Staveley; Angharad Wilson and Olivia De Marco of St Mary’s Catholic High School, Chesterfield; Delyth Barlow of Outwood Academy, Newbold; Cara Makin of Highfields School, Matlock; Sam Beardshaw, of Eckington Comprehensive School and Liam Minshull who will go to Nottingham Vision West in the new term.

Their research found that the catering industry misses out on around £10,000,000 annually due to the lack of gluten free option and that more than 70 per cent of coeliac sufferers would eat out more often if more options were available.

On Gluten Freedom’s facebook page, Paul Chesterfield Fc Crookes commented: “What a great campaign this is as my wife is gluten intolerant and seeing these stickers will help us pick somewhere to eat far easier. Well done everyone involved.”