ALLERGY CAMPAIGNER JULIANNE PONAN MBE AIMS TO EDUCATE 1000s OF CHILDREN AROUND ALLERGIES

Julianne Ponan MBE, CEO of top 14 allergen free brand Creative Nature, is educating up to 5,000 children in schools across the UK around living with allergies.

The campaigner,  is working in partnership with Allergy Advocate influencer Stephanie Hulme from Positively Allergic and Allergy education specialist Natalie Hopkins from The Allergy Badge and are appealing to schools across the UK to engage in their new education programme during  Allergy Awareness Week 2023 (from April 24th ). 

With an average of two children in every class suffering from food allergies, Julianne, Stephanie and Natalie want to hear from headteachers and senior teachers who would be willing to host her new free education programme around living with allergies. 

“We have a group of ‘allergy mums’ from around the UK who are willing themselves to go into their local schools to spread the word about what it’s like to live with allergies and to create more kindness and tolerance around children who are allergic to everyday food and drink,” Julianne said. 

Julianne has severe and complex allergies and anaphylaxis which came to light when she was a toddler. During her school life she often felt isolated and excluded because of her dietary needs. 

Julianne said: “School for me, particularly primary school, was very difficult. I was made to feel ‘different’. Having allergies sets you apart anyway, yet this can be compounded in a school setting and it can increase isolation.

“So, I want to give something back by offering my support to children who are struggling to deal with the everyday consequences of having allergies. Having lived it, and campaigned for allergy awareness, I know I can help them and their classmates.

We will be going into schools throughout Allergy Awareness week to deliver an allergy awareness assembly rolling our across the UK including in Julianne’s home county of Surrey. 

“I want to help those children who are like me, and hopefully make their time in school better. My goal is to educate children and teachers about the severity of allergies, and how their actions can have real-world consequences that can at times be life-threatening. Introducing this information to children in schools as early as possible is vital.”

The presentation will cover: 

• How to use an auto-injector, what it is and what it does.
• Having empathy for friends who suffer from allergies, so that they don’t think they’re odd or weird. 
• How to help their friends by learning to eat safely – for example, making sure they wipe tables after they’ve eaten, in case they have eaten foods that will make their friends react.
• Being aware of what foods their friend can’t eat, due to allergies.

To implement the project, Julianne has teamed up with Stephanie Hulme from Positively Allergic and Natalie Hopkins from The Allergy Badge along with a whole group of allergy parents and teachers.  

Julianne knows from personal experience just how alienating having food allergies at school can be.

When she was at primary school, she often felt left out and was made to feel different because of her allergies. She was made to sit apart from everyone else when she ate her lunch. In the world of allergies, this is often referred to as ‘having to sit at the allergy table’.

She was often made fun of, or dismissed as being awkward, or worse – a spoiled brat, because the other children were not mature enough to understand the problems her food allergies caused. Her life literally depends on her being fussy about what she eats and drinks. 

Julianne has many serious allergies, including all nuts, and if exposed to one of them, she can go into anaphylactic shock, something which happened to her only last month. Her experiences of living with multiple food allergies and anaphylaxis led her to found Creative Nature and create a range of allergy-safe, tasty and healthy snacks for people like her. 

“My allergies were – and are – so severe that it’s not just about what I eat or drink, it also means I have to be careful what those around me eat and drink. This is horrible when you are a child. It is the remit of schools to provide a safe environment for all of their pupils to thrive, and I feel that by sharing this information, I can help them to be fully inclusive.”

It's hoped that around 5000 children will be trained on allergy awareness with more sessions be offered to schools – free of charge.

Creative Nature’s award-winning products are free from the top 14 allergens and use superfood ingredients to both improve their nutrient value and make them lower in sugar than alternatives on the market. 

If you work in a school or know of a school that would be interested in Julianne’s presentation, please contact [email protected]

To find out more about Creative Nature visit: https://www.creativenaturesuperfoods.co.uk/