Press Releases

Miss Bimbo Websites

For further comment please contact our press officer on 08707 703 221 or media@b-eat.co.uk

“beat – the national charity helping people affected by eating disorders commented that any websites encouraging young girls to believe that weight and body size manipulation were acceptable should think very carefully about the messages they are putting across. 

This demonstrates how little understanding there is on the effects of sites such as this which can attract vulnerable young people who should be discouraged from emulating unrealistic body images when in reality people come in all shapes and sizes”

Failing Families?

6th February 2008

"It has devastated us all. We have lost someone so precious because we were trying to do our best but did not have enough information or knowledge. It is difficult to bear the guilt and to carry on. My life is awful, the marriage is all but over, and my partner and I are unable to help each other through this"

beat – the leading UK eating disorders charity - has surveyed over 500 families in the UK who have all had first hand experience of an eating disorder and will be issuing a full report at the start of Eating Disorders Awareness Week on Monday 25th February.

• 79% of families affected by eating disorders suffer lasting damage
• Only 12% get the support they need

The responses show that whole families are being failed, not just the individual sufferer. Time and again they are not offered the information and support they so desperately need by the medical profession. NICE guidance, issued four years ago, is not being followed. Families talk of relationship breakdowns; divorce; employment issues; and not least the burden that fell on other children in the family. 20% of people affected by an eating disorder will die.

Access to the House of Commons event is by invitation only, please contact Mary George on 0870 770 3221 or m.george@b-eat.co.uk  for an invitation to the launch of the report. beat staff, MPs, professionals, young ambassadors and parents will be available for comment.

The report will be launched at 17.30 on Monday 25th February at the House of Commons.

Has Fashion Got Its House In Order?

8th January 2008

beat – the campaigning national eating disorders charity have questioned the commitment of the fashion industry and its response to the recent inquiry into model’s health.

The inquiry, led by Baroness Kingsmill, published a report last month outlining its plans to ensure the health and safety of young and vulnerable models. 

beat subsequently held its own inquiry involving representatives from the media and fashion industries and beat Young Ambassadors and concluded that although it was encouraging that eating disorder issues are being taken seriously, strong doubts were expressed about whether there is enough commitment across the industry to make the recommendations work.

Chief Executive Susan Ringwood said:  “It is vital that everyone across the fashion industry is committed to change and working together to effect this.  Although we applaud the lead taken by the fashion industry there has been little evidence so far of any direct action.  beat is committed to working with the fashion industry to help bring about the changes we know are both necessary and possible.”

Read the report here

Girls shout out! Under ten and under pressure

21st November 2007

"Girls believe that appearance is linked to popularity and happiness but friends, peers and families can help boost their confidence."

Girlguiding UK’s size and experience give us a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to speak out about issues of direct concern to young women. It was in this spirit that we launched Girls shout out! in early
2007 – to discover more about our young members’ views on the questions that matter to them most and to ensure that their voices are heard in the public debates that affect their lives.

For our latest report, Girls shout out! Under ten and under pressure, Girlguiding UK has teamed up with the UK’s leading eating disorders charity, beat, to find out what girls in guiding really think about self-esteem and body image. The research was carried out by pollsters Opinion Leader through a series of in-depth focus groups with girls between the ages of seven and ten.

Download the report here

beat wins inaugural TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Awards

19th November 2007

• Award presented to charity at House of Lords ceremony
• 30 charities in total benefit from £60,000 technology Award

beat, a Norwich-based eating disorder charity, has received a TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Award at a ceremony at the House of Lords on Wednesday 14th November.

The TalkTalk Awards, run in partnership with UK digital inclusion charity Citizens Online, opened for entries in June and called for submissions from non-profit making organisations and charities in the UK. The Awards specifically focus on helping organisations to get the best out of technology. beat was one of 30 of the UK’s most exciting charity projects chosen to win one of the awards.

beat, like the other winning organisations, will receive a grant of £2,000 to help fund its particular project, as well as receiving a free TalkTalk contract for broadband and landline phone access. The Awards have been designed to help groups make the most of the internet by encouraging applications for investment in PCs, hardware, software or technical expertise.

beat is the only nationwide voluntary organisation of any scale working to tackle the issues of eating disorders. It provides a national helpline for adults and young people, whether sufferers, parents or carers, which received over 15,000 calls last year. It will use the money it has won from the award to create a WAP service so people can access information about eating disorders via their mobile phone. This is designed to provide a fast and discreet service, especially for young people with eating disorders. It will be the first service of its kind.

Emma Healey from beat commented: “We are thrilled to win this award as it will enable us to deliver our new WAP service and reach people desperately in need of information, advice and support. The award will make a real difference in benefiting the lives of thousands of vulnerable people.”

“As technology becomes an increasingly important part of our lives we are conscious that not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits it brings,” said David Thatcher, TalkTalk managing director.

“The TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Awards assist organisations who are delivering real benefits to the community and could do even greater work if they were given a helping hand with technology. We had applications from groups that supported disability, protected the environment, assisted the disadvantaged, championed cultural integration and promoted education. Of the 731 exceptional entries, we believe we have selected 30 very worthy projects that will benefit from the grant and internet access.”

John Fisher, Chief Executive, Citizens Online said: “The Awards are helping us continue our work in encouraging people to make the most of the internet and opening up access for all.”

Inquiry Into Model Health

13th September 2007

beat welcomes this Inquiry and sees it as a positive first step towards addressing the issues around the fashion industry and the health of its models.

“We know that for any changes to be made, everyone involved in this important and vibrant industry, from the designer to the retailer, must tackle these issues.  It is only the industry acting as a whole that can make the difference that is so needed to ensure these vulnerable young people are looked after responsibly.

“We look forward to seeing the recommendations carried through and will be happy to work alongside any agencies or representatives of the industry to ensure that all possible help is given to look after the interests of these young people.” said chief executive, Susan Ringwood.

Founder of Norwich-based national charity awarded OBE

16th June 2007

Nancy Pearce founder patron of Norwich-based charity beat  (previously Eating Disorders Association) has been awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Nancy’s charity Anorexic Family Aid founded in 1976 – merged with two others across the UK in 1989 and became Eating Disorders Association providing information and support to thousands of people across the UK affected by eating disorders.

Susan Ringwod, Chief Executive Officer of beat said:  “We are delighted that this honour has been awarded to Nancy.  Without Nancy’s vision and commitment all those years ago to helping sufferers and families affected by these dreadful illnesses, many thousands of people would have struggled to find the right help at a time when it is so desperately needed.  It is very fitting that she should be recognised in this way. The support of families, the origins of the charity Nancy founded, is still very much at the heart of beat’s activities today.”

The profile of beat has risen dramatically over the last 3 months since its relaunch.  Actresses Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley have both donated sums to the charity in recent highly publicised libel cases against the media.

Keira Knightley donates damages from Daily Mail libel case to national charity

24th May 2007

Leading Hollywood actress Keira Knightley has chosen national eating disorders charity beat as the beneficiary of her libel damages against the Daily Mail.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star said that she will match the figure received - £3,000 – making a total of £6,000.

Susan Ringwood, Chief Executive Officer of beat said: “We are delighted that Miss Knightley has chosen beat to benefit although regret the fact that unhelpful stories appear in the press."

“Some sections of the media persist in publishing speculative stories which only serve to add distress and pressure to people across the world suffering from these dreadful illnesses. This is a positive way to raise awareness in such a public fashion. The donation will enable us to offer more support to the many thousands of people who contact us for help.”

National eating disorders charity nominated for two awards

3rd May 2007

The national charity that supports thousands of people across the UK affected by eating disorders, has been nominated for two awards as a result of its recent re-brand – which was done in-house, took just 15 months and was financed on a shoe-string.

Facing stiff competition from much larger charities, it has been nominated for the high-profile Charity Awards, which recognises and celebrates excellence in the leadership and management of charities. It has also been short-listed in the brand excellence category of the Norfolk and Suffolk Marketing Excellence Awards.

“In 2005, the Eating Disorders Association, as it was then known, was the UK’s leading charity supporting sufferers and their families, but we were reaching only 3% of the people affected,” said Emma Healey, Director of Operations.

“We consulted our service users, who talked about a lack of awareness of EDA and its work. Most worryingly, they thought the name was a barrier in itself - too medical, stuffy and dull.  The result was a re-brand. We changed our name from worthy-but-dull Eating Disorders Association to beat – lively, with an edge. And we have a new manifesto:

Eating Disorders will be Beaten

“A key message from the consultation had been that we shouldn’t ‘do a Consignia’ - wasting vital resources on a pointless name change,” said Ms Healey. “In the end, no resources that should have gone to helping those with eating disorders were diverted to our re-brand.”

The design for the logo, paper-based materials and website cost £7,500 (donated by the Impetus Trust). The media and PR strategy was written and managed, pro bono, by Lexis PR. The costs of printing new materials came out of existing budgets.

 “We created a project team - the Smoothies - composed of staff and volunteers who produced a short-list of potential new names. These were tested among members of the public, and this highlighted one name – beat

“A local PR company helped to make our new identity real, with a style guide, logos and a new strap-line. We needed a new voice for our new identity so we created a new website.

The re-brand was launched at the House of Commons during Eating Disorders Awareness Week in February, with the Minister of State for Health, Rosie Winterton, as guest speaker.

“The re-brand has been a spectacular success, said Ms Healey. “After only two months, we are reaching twice as many people who need our help.  We’ve had more media coverage, requests for information, and telephone calls for help than in any two months previously. The number of people offering to volunteer has also doubled. 

“And our website has received more than nine million hits. Created with the help of young sufferers, it now has the information, tips on how to get better, and recovery stories, to convince young people that their eating disorder really can be beaten. “

£2m government funded research

4th April 2007

beat – the Norwich-based national eating disorders charity – is a partner in newly announced research into anorexia – funded by the government.

The £2m project is a partnership between beat and the Institute of Psychiatry and focuses on much needed research into this particular eating disorder.

beat are involved in two areas – how to recognise early signs that someone is developing an eating disorder and the best way to support families affected.

Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson expressed his delight that this funding has been awarded and how it reflected on the continuing campaigning and lobbying that beat carries out to raise awareness of these illnesses.

beat Chief Executive Susan Ringwood said: 

"We are delighted to be part of this important research study. We will be contributing to the early identification of eating disorders and how best to support families too. There is world-class research being done in the UK, but still so much we need to learn about these challenging and complex conditions."

London Fashion Week

8 February 2007

London

Fashion Week comment from beat
formerly the Eating Disorders Association

Ahead of London Fashion Week Susan Ringwood, CE of beat, the UK’s leading eating disorders charity, issues a challenge to the media and fashion industry.

“Banning underweight models is just too easy - it creates headlines and not results. We need to move the debate away from these sensationalist headlines and turn our attention to how eating disorders can be beaten.

Society needs to change the way it thinks and talks about eating disorders and the media is the single most powerful tool in influencing public opinion. It is time to challenge the current media fixation that eating disorders are only about how thin you look or how much weight you have lost. 

You can’t tell if someone has an eating disorder by their shape and size alone - the real pain of an eating disorder is on the inside not the outside.

The challenge for us today is to provide sufferers with the support, treatment and courage to overcome this illness. Though we welcome the appointment of a task force by the Fashion Council, we urge the organisers of LFW to take more positive action towards tackling these issues.”

For additional comment, information or a copy of the Something’s Got to Change report please contact the beat Press Office on 0870 770 3221 / 07804 589404

Eating Disorders Association Announces new name and identity

Monday 5th February 2007

Rebrand comes as research reveals young people feel they have no one to turn to about eating disorders

The Eating Disorders Association (EDA) today announces a brand new identity and name – beat. The announcement comes at the start of Eating Disorders Awareness week.

To coincide with the launch of its new identity, beat publishes a new report today called Something’s got to change which reveals that 92% of young people who are affected by eating disorders feel there is no one they can talk to about their concerns.

beat carried out the research with young people directly affected by eating disorders. The findings reveal the isolation experienced by young people suffering from the illness and identifies a growing problem of alienation in today’s society.

Key findings from ‘Something’s got to change’ report:

• Only 1% of young people say they can talk to their parents about their concerns
• 92% of young people say there is no one they can turn to about their eating disorder
• 91% of young people feel unable to talk to people at school
• 83% say they would not be able to approach their GP or nurse about their eating disorder
  

Susan Ringwood, Chief Executive of beat, comments: “In today’s celebrity driven culture, where people are vilified for gaining weight then stigmatised for losing weight, eating disorders are sensationalised and misunderstood. This is having a devastating impact on young people suffering from eating disorders who feel increasingly alienated and isolated and lack confidence to ask people for advice and support.

“We are changing our name to beat because we believe that there is a greater need than ever to bring about real change and take positive action to beat eating disorders in the UK. We want to focus on a message of hope – you can beat eating disorders. We believe our new identity clearly reflects our commitment and determination, and we hope to send out a loud and clear message to people that there is help available.”

Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for Health Services, “There is a clear need for action to be taken to ensure that young people have the confidence and determination to get advice and support about eating disorders as early as possible. I am lending my support to beat and encourage everyone from parents to GPs to young people to help beat eating disorders for good.”

Young People Desperate for help to beat their eating disorder

Tuesday 7 November 2006

Eating Disorders Awareness Week 4th to 10th February 2007

During Eating Disorders Awareness Week the UK wide charity the Eating Disorders Association will be publishing the shocking results of a survey of young people affected by eating disorders.

The devastating problems we know are experienced by young people have spurred EDA into announcing a massive transformation and a brand new name. A name that says that beating eating disorders is what we must do.

We will use our name to reach more people, particularly young people at the point where our services can make the most difference. We will campaign, we will change hearts and minds. We want everyone, directly affected or not, to share our vision. Our new name will be a call to action: eating disorders will be beaten

A press conference will be held in London on Monday 5th February 2007 at the House of Commons to launch both the survey report and the transformation aimed at beating eating disorders. Further details will be announced nearer the time.

For further information please contact: Mary George
at beat e-mail: media@b-eat.co.uk
Direct Line: 0870 770 3221