Rebecca Adlington’s story sparks national conversation for Coeliac UK

Driving over 250 pieces of coverage in target national media 

With May marking Coeliac Awareness Month, we were proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Coeliac UK, the charity for people who need to live without gluten, to help shine a light on the realities of living with coeliac disease. This serious autoimmune condition affects one in 100 people in the UK. Shockingly, only 36 percent of those affected have received a medical diagnosis, leaving an estimated half a million people struggling with unexplained and often debilitating symptoms. 

As part of this year’s campaign, Coeliac UK encouraged the public to ask, “Is it coeliac disease?” and to take the charity’s free online self-assessment. This tool helps people identify whether they may be experiencing symptoms of the condition and if they should be considered for testing in line with published clinical guidelines. 

To spread this important message across the UK, we delivered a powerful and engaging PR campaign with national and regional case studies. Central to the campaign were real-life stories from people across the country, sharing their experiences with coeliac disease, their journey to a diagnosis, and the impact it has had on their lives. Among these voices was four-time Olympic medallist and OBE, Rebecca Adlington, whose story helped bring widespread visibility to the campaign. 

Working closely with Rebecca, Coeliac UK and the wider group of case studies, we secured over 250 pieces of media coverage across national, regional, trade and consumer press, as well as broadcast. Coverage highlights included national broadcast features on Sky News Breakfast, BBC Radio and ITV, and print/digital articles in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, The Independent, The i Paper, and an op-ed on LBC online. 

We are proud to have supported this vital campaign, helping to raise awareness of this life-changing condition and encouraging more people to seek the answers and diagnosis they need.