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Country Range Group marks first year of partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation
Country Range Group (CRG) has completed the first year of our three-year partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the UK’s food allergy charity to raise compassion, understanding and vital funds to #MakeAllergyHistory.
Martin Ward, Chief Executive, Country Range Group, said: “We’re pleased to mark the first year of this partnership and want to thank all our members who have raised funds to help the charity with its important work. We’re committed to supporting the charity’s aims to make food allergy a thing of the past and are looking forward to growing our partnership over the next two years and bring about positive change.”
Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBEs, founders of Natasha’s Foundation, said: “We want to thank everyone who is part of the Country Range Group for choosing to fundraise for our charity over the last year. We appreciate your on-going support. Thanks to your generosity we have been able to continue our important work, helping to improve the lives of the millions of people in this country living with food allergies, and working towards our ultimate goal of #MakingAllergiesHistory. Your donations have helped to fund bursaries to train the next generation of allergy specialists, education resources for schools and allowed us to continue campaigning for an Allergy Tsar, a national champion for the one in three people now living with allergic disease. We are grateful for your support, and we look forward to working with you in the future.”
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation was founded in June 2019 following the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse. Aged 15, Natasha died after eating sesame seeds that were baked into the dough of a baguette. At the time, there was a legal loophole in food legislation that meant pre-packaged foods made and sold on the same premises didn’t have to list their ingredients. The label on the baguette packaging didn’t include sesame and they were invisible to the naked eye.
Set up by Natasha’s parents Nadim and Tanya, the Natasha Foundation is the only charity in the UK dedicated to scientific and medical research into allergies. Through their campaigning, Natasha’s Law came into effect on the 1st October 2021. Businesses now have to label prepacked food for direct sale with a full ingredient list that clearly details any of the 14 major allergens.
A big focus of the charity’s work is science and clinical research to understand what is causing the dramatic rise in food allergies and new ways to treat them. The Natasha Clinical Trial is a £2.7 million project involving seven NHS hospitals across Scotland and England, treating up to 300 children and young people aged two to 23 with milk and peanut allergies.
The trial aims to prove that everyday shop bought foods containing peanut or milk, taken under strict medical supervision, can be an effective and low cost NHS treatment for people with food allergies, rather than expensive pharmaceuticals. This pioneering approach, known as oral immunotherapy (OIT), involves taking daily doses of everyday foods to train the body to tolerate an allergen. The results are expected in 2027 and, if successful, it is hoped the trial will provide evidence for the treatment to be made available on the NHS. Nadim says: “Parents of children with severe milk and peanut allergies have described how their lives have been transformed by this approach.”
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation continues its campaign for the Government to appoint an Allergy Tsar – a national lead to champion the one in three people living with allergies, making allergy services and treatments a priority within the NHS to prevent avoidable deaths and ill health. Reflecting the Country Range Group’s partnership with the charity, we have signed an open letter urging the Government to prioritise this issue, alongside industry peers. The appointment of an Allergy Tsar would co-ordinate efforts across the food industry, healthcare and education sectors ensuring the necessary safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable individuals.
“For businesses like ours, managing allergies is not only about compliance with regulations but about actively preventing harm to our customers,” says Martin. “A dedicated Allergy Tsar would help ensure more effective communication between the NHS, food suppliers, schools, and parents, creating a comprehensive approach to allergy management that can save lives. We are proud to be one of the 20 leading food companies that have signed the letter.” Nadim adds: “I would urge everyone to write to their local MP and tell them why we need an Allergy Tsar. If you go to our website there is a letter you can download.”
Together, during the first year of the partnership, we raised funds through a wide range of activities such as sponsored events, raffles and encouraging people to make donations at trade events. In June 2024, we raised over £6,000 from a raffle held at our annual exhibition and conference. Another initiative we are championing is the ‘1p tub donation’ where 1p per tub of any Signature by Country Range ice cream purchased is donated to the Foundation.
If you’re looking for inspiration on how to raise funds and support this fantastic cause, how about introducing a “Cook Off” competition between colleagues and chefs for the best ‘allergen aware’ meal; hold a raffle and donate the ticket sales to Natasha’s Foundation or host a ‘free from’ bake sale and showcase delicious allergen free treats. You could also encourage your team to take part in a fitness challenge such as the National Three Peaks, Thames Footpath, Dalai Lama Himalayan Trek or a Trek to Machu Picchu.
