2018’s ‘Wake up to Lyme’ campaign has been taking the nation by storm during Lyme awareness month! Over 500 awareness packs have been distributed with orders for hundreds more flooding in. Thank you to Mosi-Guard Natural who teamed up with us to provide 500 packs and we will be using LDUK funds to be covering the cost of as many more packs as possible! Thank you to everyone who has been actively distributing leaflets and posters throughout your local communities. We are getting so much positive feedback and a big growth in membership in our Online Community as a result of the campaign as people have either experienced a tick bite themselves and want to learn more or know of family members and friends with suspected Lyme disease.
Pack distribution
The Campaign in Pictures
Awareness packs have made their way into NHS clinics, vets, supermarkets, offices, restaurants, coffee shops, schools, parks and other recreational spaces, post offices, libraries, pharmacies, offices and a variety of other community spaces. We really are making a big difference so please help us to keep the momentum up to reduce the number of new cases this year by teaching people to be tick aware and to know which preventative measures to take to reduce the chances of being bitten and increase the chances of safe tick removal.
LDUK’s Sophie Ward shares her experiences in taking part in the campaign here.
“Having been introduced to the need to raise public awareness about Lyme disease by Sophie Ward and her family, I realised that the UK’s parks industry was an obvious channel through which to spread the word. As the manager for a conservation award scheme that reaches out across that industry, I am lucky enough to have an easy way to spread the message. My aim is to provide regular reminders to park operators about the disease and to let them know how they can pass on key information to their guests. I hope that in this way, the right messages can get out to a large number of people. If it saves just one person from the disease, then it will have been worthwhile.” – Rufus Bellamy, National Adviser for Conservation and Environmental Management at the British Holiday & Home Park Association
“I feel so strongly about ‘ awareness’ is because I would not like other people to go through the hell I have been going through. One girl I talked to was 38 years old, had a walking stick and had been ill for 10 yrs following a tick bite when she lived abroad . She had all types of tests over the course of a year and received no diagnosis. She took an LDUK leaflet and my phone number. I’m waiting to see what happens.” – Susan Hardy, Campaigner
Raising awareness and funds for LDUK at a church, a primary school teddy tombola and a dress down day and raffle at an office!
Events
The ARB Show
LDUK was invited to host a stand at the Arboricultural Association ARB show to raise awareness of Lyme disease which was a great opportunity to campaign! LDUK’s Gem Why and her daughter did a great job of manning our stand and handing out information.
Anatomised Book Launch
Author and LDUK member A.F. McGuinness launched his new novel Anatomised in Canterbury. He also used this event as an opportunity to support our campaign and some of the profits from his book will be going to LDUK. To find out more about the launch and how to buy Anatomised, click here.
Worldwide Lyme Disease Protest – UK
LDUK reps attended the Worldwide Lyme Disease Protest UK in London organised by the Chronic Lyme Disease Support Group UK to help raise awareness amongst the public and to highlight the need for change in the way Lyme disease is approached in the UK. Thank you to the protest organisers and there was some good media coverage on the day!
Scottish Parliamentary Photo Call
LDUK’s Morven-May MacCallum held a photo call after First Minister’s Questions on 17th May at which there was an excellent turnout and plenty of support from Scottish MSPs including Alexander Burnett MSP who sponsored an awareness event las year. Janey Cringean from Tick-Borne Illness Campaign Scotland was able to make the event as well.
H.E.A.L. Summit
LDUK’s Sarah presented at the H.E.A.L Summit and also hosted an LDUK stand to distribute awareness materials.
The Bushcraft Show
LDUK’s press manager Julia Knight attended The Bushcraft Show where she hosted an LDUK stand to raise awareness and funds and also gave a much viewed interview.
School Presentations, Poster Competition and Webinar
Some children have been making the most of our downloadable school packs and giving presentations to their classmates. Teachers, please do contact us if you would like additional materials. We are also running a poster competition so if you work with children, be sure to encourage them to get creative and design eye-catching posters to help people be tick aware.
Our Wake Up to Lyme Webinar can be accessed here.
Media
Our Online Community members and our campaign has been featured in numerous media pieces throughout May so far, including:
The Scotsman
Parkrun Blog
Vetstream
NOW magazine
BBC Radio Lincolnshire
Patient
Kent Online
Although our awareness packs have been free, donations to our #WakeUptoLyme campaign are always welcome! Thank you to everyone who has been hosting awareness and fundraising events across the UK and also to everyone who has been distributing posters and leaflets!