What You Can Do

Eating disorders can have a devastating impact on the lives of sufferers and the people around them. Beat’s vision is an end to the pain and suffering caused by these serious mental illnesses. Campaigning for change is a vital part of realising that vision, so we aim to engage, empower, and act.

Engage: We listen to your experiences and feedback to ensure we’re campaigning on the issues that matter the most to you.

Empower: We know we can make the biggest difference for people with eating disorders if we give our campaigners the tools they need.

Act: We want to make change happen – and that’s where you come in.

What do we want to happen?

Our campaigning focus is on earlier treatment – we know that the sooner someone gets treatment, the better their chance of full recovery. We want to tackle the barriers that people face to getting that treatment.

We have campaigns aimed at helping people get the help they need as quickly as possible already underway. Why not join them?

Call for better training for GPs so that they can spot the early signs of eating disorders.
Tell your representative about the importance of setting and meeting access and waiting times targets for treatment.

Beyond that, there’s so much more you can do to make a difference.

“After EDAW 2017, Beat let me know about my local Healthwatch and Patient Engagement Group in my area, and they were very supportive and informative in helping me get involved. Since joining, I have met some extraordinary people and learned a lot about my local healthcare services and how decisions are made. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to share my experiences to help promote change and inform decisions about mental health services in my community.” Caroline Kalorkoti, Beat Volunteer and Campaigner

What can you do?

Stay up to date

Just knowing what’s going on is important. We can keep you up to date with what’s happening, what we’re doing about it, and how you can help.

Spread the word

Tackling stigma and misunderstanding is an essential part of the fight to get people with eating disorders the help they deserve.

Share our campaigns and social media posts, or make your own, to raise awareness among people you know.
Download or order our Tips posters and put them up in your community. Try schools, universities, surgeries, and youth centres. Think outside the box, too – remember, eating disorders can affect anyone.

Make your voice heard

Tell those who represent you in Government and healthcare what matters to you, and what changes you want to see.

Sign our petition calling for better training for GPs – often the first port of call for those with eating disorders.
Respond to a consultation. Often, local and national healthcare services will ask for your views on what they could be doing better.
Get in touch with your local Healthwatch, who are there to listen to your views and share them with those who make decisions about your local healthcare.
Write to your representative – they work for you. Call on them to help make positive change for people with eating disorders.
Write to your local healthcare commissioner. They decide how money is spent in your area, and they should be meeting the needs of local people.

Campaigning Toolkit

Not sure how to go about writing your letter, or want to know more about how the system works first? Our free campaigns toolkit is a great place to start, or you can get in touch with us at campaigning@beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

Get vocal

Telling those who can make change why what you’re saying matters, face-to-face, can make an enormous difference.

Meet your representative or local healthcare commissioner in person. Write them a letter to arrange a meeting.
Share your story with the media. Beat gets a lot of contact from local, regional, and national news outlets – find out if you could be a media volunteer here.

We know it can be very difficult, especially if you’re talking about your personal experiences. But don’t forget that the Beat campaigns team is here to help you out every step of the way.

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