Charity supports Eating Disorders Awareness Week

South Yorkshire Eating Disorders Association will opens the doors to its Sheffield office, on Bedford Street, for the afternoon, host a fundraising gig, a dark comedy theatre night and a Q&A panel on awareness week, which runs from February 22-28.

The awareness week aims to fight myths and tackle the stigma surrounding the illness.

SYEDA CEO Chris Hood said: “Eating Disorders are a serious psychological illness and affect the lives of thousands of men and women. The awareness week events are a great opportunity for SYEDA to reach out to communities and communicate the support services we offer to local people.

“The campaign is timely too, as we are expanding and developing our services more broadly in South Yorkshire and now provide Eating Disorder support in Barnsley and Rotherham.”

One anonymous service user revealed: “I can’t believe the difference that SYEDA has made to my daughter’s life, I am so grateful to the service and how it has helped her.”

The Open Door event at SYEDA’s office will be held on February 22. The fundraising gig, which will see local band Huntsman launch their charity single ‘You’re Beautiful’ - drawing on real life experiences of eating disorders - will be held at the Nottingham House Pub on February 25. All proceeds from the single will go directly to SYEDA. The dark comedy theatre night and Q&A panel from Plunge Theatre will be held at King Edwards VII Lower School on February 25.

Visit www.syeda.org.uk or call SYEDA on 0114 2728822 for more information on any of the events.