Beat (charity)

Last updated
Beat
Formation1989
Type Charitable organisation
Headquarters Norwich
Region served
United Kingdom
Chief Executive
Andrew Radford
Website www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Formerly called
Eating Disorders Association

Beat is the UK's leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders and campaigning on their behalf. Founded in 1989 as the Eating Disorders Association, it celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019. [1]

Contents

The charity is dedicated to helping people with anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorder, [2] and providing information to the public about these conditions.

History

The charity was founded in 1989 from the amalgamation of the existing UK charities, Anorexic Aid and Anorexic Family Aid. The Society for the Advancement of Research into Anorexia merged with the Eating Disorders Association in 1992. [3] Beat became the Eating Disorders Association's working title in 2007, and was formally adopted in 2018. [4]

Activities

Support services

As well as campaigning for better services for those affected by eating disorders, the charity provides self-help support through several different projects:

  1. Helplines: The charity runs three national helplines, one for adults, one for young people under 25, and one for students. Telephone, email, and one-to-one webchat services are available. [5]
  2. Online Services: The charity's website includes message boards, an online chat facility, online support groups, and a HelpFinder directory.
  3. Peer support: The charity runs Echo, a telephone-based peer support for carers, in some parts of the country. [6]

Campaigning

Beat actively campaigns for better services and understanding of eating disorders. [7] Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) takes place annually. [8]

Ambassadors

The Ambassador scheme allows people who have recovered from an eating disorder to take an active part in Beat's work. They represent Beat in the media or at conferences and events, speaking about their experiences to help reduce the stigma and educate others. [9] Beat received funding in 2013 from Young Start to grow the scheme in Scotland.

Training and Continuing Professional Development

Beat runs conferences and training, providing knowledge, education and training to carers, healthcare and education professionals, and other organisations in both the private and public sector. [10]

The Eating Disorder International Conference (EDIC), aimed at academics, researchers, clinicians and others working in the field of eating disorders [11] runs every two years.

Awards

The charity was a runner up in the healthcare and medical research section of the UK Charity Awards 2007. [12] It also received the national Wellbeing Award of the Children and Young People's Services Awards 2007 [13] for its work in developing a forum for young people, and in particular for the charity's active involvement of young people in informing its work, via the forum.[ citation needed ] The charity was awarded NHS England's now defunct Information Standard quality mark in 2011 to ensure the healthcare information it provides is of high quality and reliable. It received the 2011 Nominet Internet Award, Empowering Young People & Citizens, Exciting Newcomer award for My Personal Best. [14] In 2015 Beat's Young Ambassador team in Scotland won the volunteers' award at the National Scottish Health Awards, in recognition of their contribution to improving health and wellbeing in NHS Scotland. [15]

Funding

Beat is funded from a variety of sources – from community fundraising, donations, trusts and grant applications to professional services and government grants. Often, the funding received is to focus on particular support services.

The Youthline is supported by BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anorexia (symptom)</span> Medical symptom

Anorexia is a medical term for a loss of appetite. While the term outside of the scientific literature is often used interchangeably with anorexia nervosa, many possible causes exist for a loss of appetite, some of which may be harmless, while others indicate a serious clinical condition or pose a significant risk.

Promotion of anorexia is the promotion of behaviors related to the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. It is often referred to simply as pro-ana or ana. The lesser-used term pro-mia refers likewise to bulimia nervosa and is sometimes used interchangeably with pro-ana. Pro-ana groups differ widely in their stances. Most claim that they exist mainly as a non-judgmental environment for anorexics; a place to turn to, to discuss their illness, and to support those who choose to enter recovery. Others deny anorexia nervosa is a mental illness and claim instead that it is a lifestyle choice that should be respected by doctors and family.

Sexual anorexia is a term coined in 1975 by psychologist Nathan Hare to describe a fear of or deep aversion to sexual activity. It is considered a loss of "appetite" for sexual contact, and may result in a fear of intimacy or an aversion to any type of sexual interaction. The term largely exists in a colloquial sense and is not presently classified as a disorder in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rethink Mental Illness</span>

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NHS 24 is Scotland's national telehealth and telecare organisation. This special health board runs a telephone advice and triage service that covers the out-of-hours period. The telephone service allows people who feel unwell or those caring for them to obtain health advice and information if it is not convenient or possible to wait until they can visit their general practitioner when the practice is next open. The advice line is not intended as a substitute for obtaining an emergency ambulance service via 999. The telehealth services provided by NHS Scotland fulfil some similar functions to NHS Direct Wales and the NHS 111 scheme in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Eating Disorders Association</span> Non-profit organization in the USA

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is an American non-profit organization devoted to preventing eating disorders, providing treatment referrals, and increasing the education and understanding of eating disorders, weight, and body image.

Wannarexia, or anorexic yearning, is a label applied to someone who claims to have anorexia nervosa, or wishes they did, but does not. These individuals are also called wannarexic, “wanna-be ana” or "anorexic wannabe". The neologism wannarexia is a portmanteau of the latter two terms. It may be used as a pejorative term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education Support</span>

Education Support is a UK charity "dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of the education workforce".

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) is the oldest organization aimed at fighting eating disorders in the United States. ANAD assists people struggling with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and also provides resources for families, schools and the eating disorder community. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, ANAD is a non-profit organization working in the areas of support, awareness, advocacy, referral, education, and prevention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast Cancer Care</span> British cancer charity

Breast Cancer Care is the only specialist UK-wide charity in the UK providing care, support and information to anyone affected by breast cancer. The charity's headquarters are in London, with additional offices in Sheffield, Cardiff, and Glasgow. It is regularly quoted by media looking for the perspective of patients on breast cancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anorexia nervosa</span> Type of eating disorder

Anorexia nervosa (AN), often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin.

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Ellern Mede is a specialist private provider of eating disorder services in England. It runs two hospitals in North London and one in Rotherham. The hospital in Warwick Road, Barnet opened in 2017. The service takes referrals from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for children with anorexia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Treasure</span> British psychiatrist

Janet Treasure, OBE PhD FRCP FRCPsych, is a British psychiatrist, who specialises in research and treatment of eating disorders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Greenberg</span> British academic psychiatrist

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Johnston (psychiatrist)</span> British sports psychiatrist

Dr Allan Johnston MBBS, MRCPsych, Cert.Med.Ed(IU) is a consultant psychiatrist with the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, working at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and a world leading Sports Psychiatrist at Spire Leeds Hospital working with professional athletes, dance artists, Premiership and Football League managers and coaches.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Tchanturia</span> English psychologist and eating disorders researcher

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References

  1. Scott, Geraldine (13 August 2019). "Eating disorder treatment has come a long way since 'brutal' methods - but future still daunting, admits charity boss". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  2. "Types of Eating Disorder". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  3. beat: A brief history of the organisation Archived November 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (accessed 12 October 2007)
  4. "Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2019" (PDF). 31 March 2019.
  5. "Helplines". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  6. "Echo Peer Coaching". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  7. "Current Campaigns". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  8. "Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 2-8 March 2020". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  9. "Ambassadors". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  10. "Training & CPD". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  11. "Home". Beat. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  12. The Charity Awards 2007: Healthcare and Medical Research [ permanent dead link ] (accessed 12 October 2007)
  13. Children & Young People Now: Children and Young People's Services Awards 2007: The Wellbeing Award Archived October 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (accessed 24 April 2008)
  14. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2013-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "Beat's Young Ambassadors Win Prestigious Scottish Health Award". www.b-eat.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-12-11.