Services and funding

Services and Support

beat is the UK’s only nationwide voluntary organisation of any scale working to make an impact on the issue of eating disorders.

We are uniquely placed as an independent organisation respected by people directly affected by eating disorders, their families and the professionals who treat them.  We facilitate understanding, communication and contact between these groups.

Our activities are designed to increase knowledge, awareness and understanding of eating disorders; to provide support, help and information to people directly affected and to increase the understanding and skills of professional staff.

In addition to this website – we deliver a range of services and support.

Helplines

We operate telephone, e-mail and text helplines.  beat is a member of the Mental Health Helplines Partnership (mhhp).  We hold the mhhp quality standard which demonstrates the professionalism of our services, and gives both callers and supporters confidence in our ability to meet this need.

Our Helpline staff regularly use our HelpFinder Directory to signpost callers to services and support in their area.

Self Help

Our UK wide Self Help Network is run by volunteers with a direct experience of eating disorders – either as a recovered sufferer or as a family member.  beat paid staff support the network with training, establishing new groups and with information sharing.

Publications

We publish and distribute literature and educational resources.  Our publications range from Upbeat – our supporter magazine, to the European Eating Disorders Review, a professional journal published by Wileys which prints research from around the world.

Other information produced includes leaflets and booklets which are available to individuals free of charge and at a small fee to organisations such as schools, health authorities and the connexions service.

Training and Conferences

We design training resources and deliver courses and conferences for health, education and social care staff.  These cover the basic information on the signs, symptoms and risk factors of eating disorders.  They give professionals the knowledge and understanding they need to work with or support someone affected by or at risk of an eating disorder.

Media and Communications

We provide a media service to journalists and broadcasters, supply technical information and background details for articles and programmes.  beat staff participate in national and local TV and radio programmes and we provide researchers with access to a database of people prepared to speak about their personal experiences of an eating disorder.

Professional collaboration and research support

We work in collaboration and association with the UK’s authoritative clinical experts in eating disorders.  We contribute to both academic and clinical research, help researchers to recruit to studies and gather research data.  We facilitate and support beat Professional Membership Network, the UK’s only multi-disciplinary membership forum for professionals working in any aspect of eating disorders.

beat is funded from a number of sources

• Membership fees (although we do waive fees for anyone with difficulty paying)
• Sales of literature, books and Christmas cards
• Specialist training services for professionals in health, education and social care
• BBC Children in Need help fund our Youth Helpline
• Donations from individuals
• Donations from Companies and Trusts
• Grants from the Dept of Health, National Lottery, and other charitable organisations
• Supporters holding various fund-raising events which range from sponsored walks to coffee mornings, schools and colleges hold concerts and other events and donate the proceeds to beat

We need your help please visit the supporting beat section