Coeliac UK - What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed with Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac UK, the charity for people with Coeliac Disease, recently asked the question "What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed with Coeliac Disease?" on their social media accounts.

It's been interesting seeing the responses to the question and I hope it's helpful to newly diagnosed people.

Having been diagnosed in 2008 and living a 100% gluten free life since, I gave the following reply to the question:

If you have a local group then I recommend joining it to find out more and speak to other Coeliacs.

When I was first diagnosed in 2008 I joined my local group - Beds and Mid Herts - and it was brilliant to meet other Coeliacs with a wide range of experience and knowledge. Some had been diagnosed for many years, while others were newbies like me. It was great to be able to go out for meals and find out things to avoid and top tips.

It's important you form your own approach to the 100% gluten free diet as everyone is different. There are some things other Coeliacs would eat or drink that I wouldn't go anywhere near.

And always celebrate the little things (I found a lot of reduced price gluten free cakes at The Co-Op today, so will be scoffing them for the next few days 😋).

Check out the Coeliac UK website and follow them across social media to find out more.

Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2023 - 15th-21st May

This year Coeliac Awareness Week runs from the 15th to the 21st May.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Coeliac Awareness Week 2023

Coeliac UK's mission for Coeliac Awareness Week 2023 is to highlight that coeliac disease looks different for everyone, and there are a number of symptoms to look out for, beyond the common ‘gut related issues’.  

Visit the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

You can read more about my gluten free journey in this case study on the This Is MedTech website - "When eating gluten-free isn’t a choice".

My Coeliacversary

This year marks my 15th year as a Coeliac! Time flies eh.

I haven't quite worked out how I'll celebrate my Coeliacversary this time around...

Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2022

Dates for your diary: Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2022 - 9th-15th May.

This year Coeliac Awareness Week runs from the 9th to the 15th May.

Coeliac UK's mission is to raise awareness of this serious autoimmune disease that affects 1 in 100 people.

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great 'free from' food & drink I've found since 2008.

Key Facts about Coeliac Disease

• Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, not an allergy.
• If a close relative (e.g. parent) is diagnosed, your chance of having it is 1 in 10.
• Many people can now be diagnosed with two blood tests.
• Gluten must remain in the diet until diagnosis.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Anyone with symptoms should go to isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk to see if they should be tested.

Symptoms may include:

• Severe or occasional diarrhoea, excessive wind and/or constipation.
• Persistent or unexplained nausea and vomiting.
• Recurrent stomach pain, cramping or bloating.
• Any combination of iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency.
• Anaemia.
• Tiredness.
• Sudden or unexpected weight loss (but not in all cases).
• Mouth ulcers.
• Skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis).
• Tooth enamel problems.
• Liver abnormalities.
• Unexplained subfertility.
• Repeated miscarriages.
• Neurological (nerve) problems such as Ataxia (loss of coordination, poor balance and peripheral neuropathy (numbness and tingling in the hands and feet).

About Coeliac UK

Coeliac UK is the national charity for everyone who needs to live gluten free. It's work began in 1968 and it is a totally independent organisation with no government funding.

Coeliac UK strives for better diagnosis, care and treatment, plus safer gluten free food in more places.

Visit the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Dates for your diary - Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2021 - 10th-16th May

Coeliac Awareness Week runs from the 10th to the 16th May.

This year's Coeliac UK Awareness Week is taking place from the 10th to the 16th May.

The theme of the week this year is #ShineALightOnCoeliac to make life better for everyone who needs to live gluten free.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Visit the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

Shine a light on Coeliac

With the possibility of meeting up with family and friends, and once again visiting restaurants means people with Coeliac Disease need to again take the risk of eating and drinking items prepared by other people.

Trusting other people to provide gluten free food can cause feelings of worry and exclusion. And the last thing anyone needs now is more isolation. So Coeliac UK is looking for everyone to shine a light on Coeliac Disease together to make life better for people who need to live gluten free.

Check out the #ShineALightOnCoeliac web page for more information, advice, fundraising ideas, recipes, challenges and activities.

Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2021 - 10th-16th May

This year Coeliac Awareness Week runs from the 10th to the 16th May.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Visit the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

A gluten free Christmas

Check out Coeliac UK's Christmas campaign online and using the hashtag #GFChristmas.

Thank you to @marketing_gott who shares his experiences of eating out and eating in at #GFChristmas: https://t.co/MRLO2TvFK1 pic.twitter.com/ofFvnE0o44

— Coeliac_UK (@Coeliac_UK) December 14, 2020

Thank you to Richard Gottfried - Marketing Consultant who shares his experiences of eating out and eating in at...

Posted by Coeliac UK on Monday, 14 December 2020

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Coeliac UK (@coeliacuk)

It's always good to be able to raise awareness of Coeliac Disease and you can read more of my Tales from a Gluten Free Christmas in this Christmas blog post.

Last Christmas at The Oxford Place in Leeds

Tales from a Gluten Free Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching I'm pleased to share my experience as part of Coeliac UK’s ‘Tales from a Gluten Free Christmas’ campaign. Visit the Coeliac UK website and check out the #gfchristmas hashtag on social media to find out more.

This year we've been missing meeting friends for a meal at our favourite restaurant, The Oxford Place in Leeds.

With a bit of luck we'll be able to get over there for a meal this year after the current national lockdown in England.

Dining out gluten free

Since we first heard about The Oxford Place in 2016 we've eaten there a lot. Not only is the entire restaurant and kitchen 100% gluten free and safe for Coeliacs, it serves superb meals that my non-Coeliac friends have loved eating too. They pass the "you can't tell its gluten free" test every time.

Last year I had my first Christmas Dinner at a restaurant since I don't know when!

Last Christmas at The Oxford Place

It wasn’t any old Christmas Dinner either. The Oxford Place always put so much effort into the dishes they serve up and they are a treat for the taste buds and the eyes.

Normally by this point of the year we'd have been to Leeds for celebration meals, for fun, to attend events and see friends. In 2020 we've been there a grand total of zero times.

We've had so many wonderful meals at The Oxford Place. From light lunches to three-course meals, to birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas Dinners with all the trimmings I've been able to feel somewhat normal again by having the choice of anything and everything on the menu without worry of cross-contamination, or the annoyance of having something removed or replaced to 'make it gluten free'.

We can't wait until we're able to get back to the city and The Oxford Place. I know I'll be making up for lost time and ordering a lot of food on my next visit.

If you haven't been to The Oxford Place I suggest you make a booking and try it as soon as you are able to.

A gluten free Christmas at home

Being a Coeliac doesn't mean you have to miss out on treats. I've certainly snacked on and scoffed my fair share of Christmas food since being diagnosed in 2008.

Last year you could get Lebkuchen by Schar at Asda. They were something I'd really missed so I bought a lot of them. I haven't seen them in store yet this year, but fingers crossed they'll be doing them again.

It'll be fun making some too. There's an excellent recipe for gluten free Lebkuchen in the Gluten-free Baking at Christmas book by 'The Happy Coeliac' Samantha Stein.

Home-made gluten free Lebkuchen biscuits

We'll be enjoying Christmas at home again this year, cooking up a superb festive meal with all the trimmings, including Yorkshire Puddings.

The range of gluten free food available in supermarket's Christmas ranges has also improved over the last ten years and we've ordered a few extra treats from M&S already.

What is your favourite thing about being gluten free at Christmas?

Check out Coeliac UK's Christmas website for more information, ideas and inspiration for gluten free food and drink.

Links:

• Coeliac UK
• The Oxford Place

Related blog posts:

• Coeliac
• Gluten Free
• Christmas

Home Counties Gluten Free Food Fair in Biggleswade

The Beds & Mid Herts Coeliac UK support group is once again organising a food fair in Biggleswade.

It'll be a great opportunity to see what's new and speak with exhibitors from a wide-range of gluten free specialist businesses in attendance. There are usually plenty of samples available too.

The 5th Home Counties Gluten Free Food Fair will take place between 10am and 2pm on Saturday 23rd September. The venue is The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JH. Check out the group's poster below for more info and contact details.

I've been a member of the group since just after my diagnosis with Coeliac Disease in June 2008. The members of the group have been a great help - especially so in the early days when I was first stepping onto the strict and lifelong gluten free diet.

The group organises a number of events, has a regular newsletter and peer support. Emily and I have made some great friends through the group.

It's Coeliac Awareness Week

Coeliac Awareness Week is taking place from the 8th to the 14th May.

This week is Coeliac Awareness Week. Organised by national charity, Coeliac UK, the focus this year is on dining out gluten free. And being able to do so safely.

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease, the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of horrible, stressful and painful symptoms.

The only treatment is to adhere to a strict lifelong gluten free diet. In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

While more places are offering gluten free menu options it's unfortunate that they are not also controlling cross-contamination risks. As little as one crumb of bread is enough to do a whole lot of damage to the gut of someone with Coeliac Disease.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2008 and remember the years before when I could dine out quite easily. Now I barely ever do. The last meal I had out was last December at a 100% gluten free restaurant in Leeds.

I wonder how many manufacturers, retailers and restaurants consider the impact selling gluten free products (or not) has on their bottom line? If I find somewhere safe to eat then I'm going to spend some money there (my Coeliac Pound if you will) - and tell other Coeliacs to as well. Plus, I'll likely be dining out with someone else who is also going to spend money there.

For more information about Coeliac Disease and Coeliac UK's Awareness Week visit the Coeliac UK website. The hashtag for the week is #glutenfreevolution.

Over in the USA the whole of May is Celiac Awareness Month.

Link:
- Coeliac UK

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac Disease
- Gluten Free
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #9 - Menu disclaimers
- My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form
- What a perfect Crazy Golf obstacle for a Coeliac
- Gluten - my Kryptonite

Gluten free at Filmore and Union in York

On our first evening in York we headed to Filmore & Union on Petergate. Ahead of our trip we'd searched for gluten free places that were suitable for Coeliacs and Filmore & Union was highly recommended.

We had a starter and a main and very good they were too. I had the seared pigeon breast with watercress and bean sprout salad, followed by the sesame and sumac trout fillet with roasted red peppers.

The menu is nice and clear and states the allergens. Filmore & Union have also received Coeliac UK Accreditation which is good to hear.

Our waiter and chef were confident in their answers about the gluten free options available, understood needs of Coeliac diners and explained the procedures to reduce cross-contamination. All plus points.

Unfortunately we were so hungry on this occasion that no photos exist of our meal there!

As well as dining in there are also takeaway options for lunch including a gluten free wrap and Brown Bag crisps.

I noticed that they also sold Daas gluten free beers which I think is always a nice touch. It's great to have the option of a GF beer with a meal, rather than always having to opt for soft drinks, cider or wine.

Check out the Filmore & Union website for more information, menus, restaurant locations and details of their offerings for special dietary requirements.

Links:
- Filmore and Union
- Filmore and Union York
- Brown Bag Crisps
- Coeliac UK

Related blog posts:

- Gluten free

- Coeliac
- Gluten free beer

Ed's Easy Diner goes gluten free

Ed's Easy Diner announce a new gluten free menu.

Ed's Diner is opening in The Mall Luton in May 2015

1950's themed diner chain Ed's Easy Diner has launched a new gluten free menu!

I was tipped me off about the new menu as she is a big fan of the diners and received the latest newsletter with info all about the gluten free options.

It looks and sounds great. Having been on a strict gluten and wheat free diet since my diagnosis with Coeliac Disease in 2008 I haven't eaten anywhere like Ed's for ages. Luckily there is a new diner opening at The Mall in Luton this May. I can't wait to try it out as there looks to be a lot of choice (85% of the 'normal' menu has been adapted to make it gluten free).

The gluten free menu will be served from breakfast to dinner. There are GF buns for hot dogs and burgers and the fries are OK too! Special malt-free milkshakes and three desserts will also be available. On the alcoholic beverages side of things you can get CELIA gluten free lager.

Ed's Gluten Free Menu looks great - with a choice of ten Hamburgers and five Hot Dogs!

With more new diners opening there will soon be over 30 to choose from around the UK.

Check out Ed's Easy Diner website for more information, locations and menus. You can also sign-up to Ed's Club where you'll receive news and offers.

Links:
- Ed's Easy Diner
- Ed's Easy Diner on Twitter
- Ed's Easy Diner on Facebook
- Coeliac UK
- CELIA Lager
- The Mall Luton

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #2 - I live in Luton, but I can't eat Gluten

Scott's Gluten Free Raspberry Butterfly Cakes

Spotting a new gluten free product in Asda.

While stocking up on gluten free supplies in Asda Dunstable I noticed an interesting box on the shelf containing a product I hadn't seen before - Gluten Free Raspberry Butterfly Cakes!

New in Asda! Gluten Free Raspberry Butterfly Cakes

They looked enticing and I had to grab a box to give them a try. After checking, and double checking, to make sure they were gluten and wheat free I put them in my basket.

The Gluten Free Raspberry Butterfly Cakes cost £2 for six - a bit of a gluten free bargain, granted I could make some (and Emily does make some delicious cakes), but 33p each for some very tasty cakes, with great consistency (that are quick & easy to scoff too) is brilliant to see. I'll definitely be buying them again.

The tasty gluten free Raspberry Butterfly Cake from Scott's Bakery. Note that this is the third one about to be wolfed down

There's a question on the label that says "Have you tried our gluten free Chocolate Chip Muffins?" - the answer is no, no I haven't. But I'll be keeping an eye out for them.

A nice touch is that the cake cases have the words 'Gluten Free' printed on them in a diagonal pattern. It's not overly in your face, and while it can be annoying to be reminded when eating that your food is GF, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Intriguingly, despite searching online, all the usual social media channels and the Asda Free From section I can't find any sign of a website for Scott's Bakery!?

Yesterday Coeliac UK announced that Asda is the first supermarket to sign up to the 'Coeliac UK Gluten-free Guarantee'. This means Asda will be stocking a core range of eight gluten-free items in all their stores to help people with Coeliac Disease manage their condition. Good news indeed.

This week is also National Cupcake Week - check out the website for more on the event.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- National Cupcake Week 2014 and a Cupcake ATM

Links:

- Asda

- Coeliac UK

National Cupcake Week 2014 and a Cupcake ATM

National Week to celebrate Cupcakes runs from 15 to 21 September.

Earlier today I spotted a Facebook post by Coeliac UK about how to celebrate National Cupcake Week with a gluten-free cupcake - almost at the same time as Emily sent me a photo of a Cupcake ATM in Las Vegas!

The Cupcake ATM is at Sprinkles Cupcakes on South Las Vegas Boulevard

On holidays to Amsterdam I remember the great Febo automated food vending machines, but I've never seen a cake ATM before. Looking at the Sprinkles website the one Emily saw is the world's first Cupcake ATM!

National Cupcake Week runs from 15 to 21 September 2014 and is organised by British Baker magazine to celebrate the sweet bakery product.

I had a look on the National Cupcake Week website and there are some gluten free recipes, which is good to see. These include White Chocolate & Raspberry Cupcakes and Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcakes, along with a guest blog about starting a cupcake business - with gluten free as a niche.

Check out the Gluten-free cake making page on the Coeliac UK website for more information about cake catering for Coeliacs/Celiacs.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Celiac
- Las Vegas

Links:
- National Cupcake Week
- Coeliac UK
- Sprinkles Cupcakes Las Vegas

Minigolfing gluten free in Margate

I’m an avid blogger and tweeter on all things Minigolf and Gluten Free so with May being Celiac Awareness Month in the USA and Canada and Coeliac UK running its annual Awareness Week from the 12th to the 18th May what better time for me to be exploring the gluten free options available while on a roadtrip to the British Minigolf Association’s National Championships in Margate, Kent.

Minigolfer, and Coeliac, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate

Arriving in Margate in the early afternoon on practice-day-Friday Emily and I headed straight for Strokes Adventure Golf course on Westbrook Promenade. We’d spent the previous day in nearby Whitstable – via Gillingham and the Isle of Sheppey – and had a great meal at the Pearson’s Arms on the seafront there.

Richard Gottfried playing the 14th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf course

After the first practice round – Emily winning by 39(+3) to my 41(+5) – we had a bit of a sit-down with team-mate/rival John ‘Thighs’ Moore. While we were relaxing a bit of post arrived for me at the course, in the form of a Coeliac UK t-shirt!

Special delivery

A second practice round followed, with me, Emily and John having a round with BMGA Tour rookie Derek ‘Needs a nickname’ Bentall. The scores in this round saw me hit a 38(+2), with John shooting a 39(+3), Emily a 44(+8) and Derek a 46(+10).

Playing the 16th hole - Shark's Teeth - at Strokes Adventure Golf course

After some more practice on the course’s more testing holes Emily and I headed off to check in to our hotel and explore Margate. We hadn’t been to the town since the BMGA British Open tournament in 2012 so we wanted to see what had changed. The Old Town in Margate is always worth a look and we popped into a few of the new vintage shops searching out old postcards.

Unfortunately one of the things that had changed for the worse in the town is the closure of the classic Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cliftonville. We played there in 2007 and 2011.

On the plus-side The Ambrette restaurant is still going strong in Margate and after our last visit – a recommendation by Matt Wood at Strokes Adventure Golf – we were really looking forward to our meal.

The food and service is excellent. On this occasion I had the tender breast of chicken marinated in coriander and wild garlic cooked 'sous-vide', followed by the slow cooked leg of duck and spiced courgette. The meal is a real treat as diners are given a number of amuse-bouches in-between courses! My favourite this time was the wild nettle soup.

What a gluten free feast

I can’t recommend The Ambrette enough, it really is great. The staff are very knowledgeable about the gluten free needs of Coeliac diners and when you eat there you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. For example, with the main course you are served a dosa pancake, rather than a naan bread – whereas in many other places you’d just have to ‘go without’. My dessert of Chocolate Silk was amazing. 

Time for pudding at The Ambrette

The first day’s play of the 2014 BMGA British Minigolf Championships teed-off on National Miniature Golf Day and the minigolfing gods were somewhat on our side as the rain which had been forecast never arrived. However, the field of 30-players had to contend with some very windy weather indeed, making the difficult Strokes course even harder in places. With nine-rounds(!) in total a lot of minigolf was to be played over the weekend.

A rather overcast day in Margate

During the rules briefing and announcement of the groups and playing order I tweeted "This year's @bmga_minigolf championships @strokesgolf features a Portuguese and a Canadian. And a bunch of Brits. #minigolf #Margate" to which @Strokesgolf replied "and a coeliac." Brilliant :-)

Despite the wind cutting through the players there were still some opportunities to play some great shots and Emily and I hit ten and eight holes-in-one during the day respectively.

Prior to visiting places on the BMGA Tour and during our roadtrips I will put out a tweet or two to see if anyone can recommend anywhere to safely eat gluten free.

A great reply came from Annie’s Supperclub and Larder who let me know she was able to arrange delivery of a variety of picnic and lunch orders to any of the beaches, or stations (and Minigolf courses!) in Thanet. This sounded great, as I always struggle to eat anything substantial during the day while playing in a competition. 

While I did keep myself going on the Pom Bears Strokes Adventure Golf course sells, it was great to know I’d be having a proper lunch too.

The lunch of a Chicken & Bacon Sub (freshly baked bread), a bag of Prawn Cocktail crisps and a Chocolate Cupcake was great and I’d certainly use the service again and recommend it to others. It made such a big difference in being able to eat some well made, fresh and tasty food – all in the knowledge it was 100% gluten free and made by someone with extensive knowledge of coeliac disease and gluten free food.

Lunchtime - a proper meal after a busy morning of tournament minigolf

Having had two large and delicious meals out on Thursday and Friday, plus a filling lunch, I opted for a ‘hotel room picnic’, while Emily had a meal at the hotel restaurant while we watched the Eurovision Song Contest with some of our fellow minigolfers – living the high-life!

Having visited the local Morrisons it was an opportunity to complete one of the Coeliac UK Awareness Week postcards detailing what was available in the store’s free from section. I duly noted what was there, and what was missing, and sent this off. I’d encourage all my fellow coeliacs to have a look in their local (or not so local) supermarkets to help inform the work of Coeliac UK.

Day two began much like day one, with windy weather, but a little less sun – that’s not to say we didn’t catch the sun after three days exposure – getting a nice tan on my face and hands!

During the break between rounds the Hole-In-One Charity Challenge took place, with 28-players stepping up to tackle the 17th hole – the Ski Jump – with a standard low-bounce course ball, rather than with a Minigolf sport ball that we’d used during the main-event.

Playing the 17th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf during the BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge contest

I was third to play the hole, with neither of the first two players managing to score an Ace I lined-up the shot, hit it for a jump over the ramp, a rebound off the bricks at the back of the green and in it went! I greeted the shot with my Ace-shout of “Yee-ha” and a round of applause from my fellow competitors. It was a nervy ten or so minutes of waiting for the rest of the field to give it a shot. Luckily for me no-one else managed to score a hole-in-one, though some came very very close, so I won the shootout – my first win in a BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge!

Just as I was being declared the winner of the challenge contest I noticed my lunch from Annie’s Larder was arriving – a great victory meal of Falafel Sub with a salad, Prawn Cocktail crisps and a Lemon Polenta Cake.

The final results saw me finish in 13th place, and 6th in the men’s general class category, with Emily in 24th place overall and the bronze medallist in the BMGA British Women’s Championship.

Playing the 11th - Heartbreak Ridge - a real killer hole in Minigolf

It was a brilliant weekend of minigolf, food & drink, good company and nice seasides.

Thank you to Matt, Brian and Frankie at Strokes Adventure Golf for allowing me to use the course as my weekend’s residence and 'mail-drop' and to the team at Coeliac UK for putting the t-shirt and Awareness Week information in the post to me.

Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate - well worth a visit 

For more information about Coeliac UK, Coeliac Disease and the Gluten-free Guarantee Awareness Week check out the Coeliac UK website.

As a Coeliac I’m always keen to highlight the condition and spread the word in order to get more places offering uncontaminated gluten-free choices. I’m also a Gfree Athlete with the Glutenlibre team based in the USA. Check out my interview with them here.

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten and while there is no cure (yet!) the only treatment is to adhere (endure) a strict lifelong gluten free diet – which can be harder than you think when you factor in the risks and hazards of cross-contamination!

Links:

- Coeliac UK

- Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014

- Coeliac Beds and Mid Herts Facebook Page

- British Minigolf Association

- Strokes Adventure Golf

- Glutenlibre

Food and restaurant links:

- The Pearson’s Arms

- The Ambrette

- Annie’s Larder

Related blog posts:

- Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014 and the Gluten-free guarantee

- Minigolf Report – BMGA British Championships in Margate

- Coeliac-related posts

- Gluten-free related posts

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014 and the Gluten-free guarantee

Coeliac UK's annual Awareness Week is taking place from the 12th to the 18th of May and this year the focus is on the Gluten-free guarantee.

The Awareness Week 'Gluten-free guarantee' is aiming to ensure that key items are available in stores around the UK, so that Coeliacs are able to easily shop for food and drink items that are an essential part of a safe and healthy diet.

The core items of the gluten-free guarantee shopping basket are:

- fresh white bread

- fresh brown bread

- bread rolls

- breakfast cereals

- pasta

- flour

- crackers

- cereal bars

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten and while there is no cure (yet!) the only treatment is to adhere (endure) a strict lifelong gluten free diet - which can be harder than you think when you factor in the risks and hazards of cross-contamination!

Check out the Coeliac UK website for more information and you can order an Awareness Week 2014 Toolkit here.

May is also Celiac Awareness Month in the US and Canada.

Links:

- Coeliac UK

- Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014

- Coeliac Beds and Mid Herts Facebook Page

- Coeliac-related Blog Posts

What a Day, Week and Month!

Happy National Miniature Golf Day to all (and there's a bunch of other stuff to celebrate today)!

May the 11th, and indeed this week and next, plus the month of May is packed full of celebratory day's to mark everything from Minigolf to Doughnuts.

Check out the latest blog post from our friends over at Putterfingers about today's Day, plus yesterday's Windmill Day. The British Minigolf Association is also holding the annual BMGA British Championships tournament at Wroxham Barns, Norfolk this weekend (it teed-off this morning). Follow the live results here and if it takes your fancy you can join the BMGA for free here.

And if you're playing at a Miniature Golf (or Crazy Golf or Adventure Golf) course then send a review over to the team at The Putting Penguin and MiniatureGolfer.com! There's a lot of Minigolf history to read up on over at the Crazy Golf Museum too.

As well as being National Miniature Golf Day, it's also World Fair Trade Day today. I found this out while out for a wander in Stopsley, Luton this afternoon when I found the Fair Deal World Shop located in Stopsley Village. 

And don't forget, according to Punchbowl today is also Eat What You Want Day (mmmm, so far I've had a Choco-Knobbly Crispy Rice Bites Gluten Free bar, an Egg in a Bap, some scorchingly hot Awfully Posh Pork Cracklings and home-made Popcorn (with more grub to scoff later).  It's also Twilight Zone Day (great as I love the show and movie) and National Train Day (brilliant, while not a spotter I can tell a Class 316 DMU from an HST).

This week is National Pet Week (interesting as we're Dog Sitting) and May is National Hamburger Month (yum), National Strawberry Month (we bought some today) and National Bike Month (handy that as I'm selling a Mountain Bike at the moment, let me know if you're interested). 

I heard from The Dull Men's Club that it's also National Doughnut Week at the moment. 

From the 13th to the 19th of May is Gut Awareness Week, Coeliac UK's annual week of activity to raise awareness of Coeliac Disease (of which I am afflicted!). For more info and advice on getting a diagnosis check out the Gut Feeling Awareness Week 2013 website. 

I'm sure my friend and fan of "Day's" Oliver 'The Machine' Florence is having a field day with all the activity! He let me know it is National Mills Weekend this weekend too.

All the best for today, whatever you are celebrating. Have a good one.

Links:

- Putterfingers

- Punchbowl.com

- British Minigolf Association

- Coeliac UK

- The Dull Men's Club

- The Putting Penguin

- MiniatureGolfer.com

By the way, if anyone knows what 2013 is the year of then do let me know...

Richard Gottfried - Coeliac UK Member Story - Travelling Gluten Free, Fish & Chips and Minigolf

I have had a 'member story' published in the latest issue of Coeliac UK's Electronic Crossed Grain (eXG) newsletter (August 2011). The topic for the August issue was 'travel themed member stories'.

I wrote about me and Emily's resolution to visit all of the UK's seasides, travelling on a Gluten Free diet, Minigolf, Fish & Chips, and some of the best places we've been able to eat out at.

You can read my story online at - Member Stories: Richard Gottfried

Coeliac UK is the leading charity working for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). Their mission is to improve the lives of people with coeliac disease through support, campaigning and research.