The year that was 2024

The year that was 2024

  • 30 January 2025
  • News

As we look ahead and finalise our plans for 2025, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of our highlights from the year that was 2024. From new resources and awareness campaigns to new initiatives and development of our AllergyWise® training programme, we were proud to be able to recognise our 30th anniversary with so many positive strides towards creating a brighter future for those living with serious allergies.

Here’s just a few of our highlights…

2024 was another important year of delivering AllergyWise® Training, helping individuals and organisations better understand and manage serious allergies. Our training programme equips people with the knowledge and confidence to take life-saving actions in the event of an allergic reaction.

We welcomed Tracey Dunn, Education and AllergyWise® Training Manager to the team in early 2024 and our training programme has gone from strength to strength ever since! With new courses added to the programme, existing courses being updated to keep pace with the evolving needs of schools and businesses and a year full of face-to-face training, assemblies and workshops for staff and students as well as awareness sessions for parents and PTA members. It’s been a busy and productive year for Tracey, so much so that we had to write a separate article on how our training programme has continued to grow… read more on that here!


Bee and Wasp Sting Essentials

May 2024 saw the return of our successful Bee and Wasp Venom Awareness Campaign, supported by an educational grant from ALK. This awareness campaign provided invaluable guidance on bee and wasp sting avoidance, recognising the symptoms of anaphylaxis and the steps to take in an emergency.

We also developed a number of new resources, including posters, podcasts and checklists for when to see a GP, all designed to further support individuals with bee and wasp venom allergies.


Let's Talk About Allergies Podcast

Back in August we launched our new podcast show, Let’s Talk About Allergies, where we deep dive into all aspects of allergies with leading experts in the field. Each episode is designed to raise awareness about anaphylaxis, address common patient concerns and explore the realities of living with allergies.

Our mission is to educate, support and build a strong, informed community where individuals with allergies can feel empowered and less alone. To date we have released 8 episodes and we are busy working on an exciting programme of topics to cover throughout 2025… so do keep an eye out for more episodes coming each month!


We couldn’t have been more thrilled with the number of people who got involved with Anaphylaxis Awareness Week in 2024.  Whether it was sharing our content, sharing experiences, taking on a “30 for 30” fundraising challenge or getting involved with #WearItBright. In truth we were overwhelmed and so humbled by how many of you took the time to show your support for those living with serious allergies.

We used the awareness week to launch our Hidden Battle with Allergies campaign, demonstrating our commitment to developing resources to help those living with allergies to better manage the fear and anxiety that may come with it. The Hidden Battle with Allergies resonated with so many of you, so we are committed to continuing this campaign throughout 2025 and we are hard at work developing new resources and services to help ease the emotional strain of living with serious allergies.


With a growing number of people affected by food allergies, it’s vital that all restaurants provide a safe environment for customers, with the right information, and good staff attitude and awareness. With that in mind, we were proud to announce a new partnership with Serve Legal to deliver the Anaphylaxis UK AllergyWise® Audit Programme, focusing not only on allergen safety but also on enhancing the overall customer experience for individuals with food allergies.

We are currently working with a number of food businesses to deliver these audits and we can’t wait to share more over the coming months.


Throughout 2024 we continued to support businesses through our quarterly Business Forums for our premium business members. The Business Forum is a dynamic meeting place for sharing insights and expertise on delivering and producing products and services for consumers with allergies.

Anaphylaxis UK’s initiative unites major restaurant chains, food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, fostering collaboration and driving meaningful progress. Over a relatively short period of time, these forums have gone from strength to strength, offering practical guidance and support to improve the lives of those living with serious allergies. We are committed to delivering these Business Forums throughout 2025 culminating in our much anticipated Business Symposium taking place later on this year.


Lived Experience Expert Group

Over the summer we announced our plans for a new volunteering project – a Lived Experience Expert Group – to help us develop and improve the information and support we provide at Anaphylaxis UK. We were overwhelmed with the number of people who applied to join this group and we’re thrilled to share that we had our first meeting as a group back in September.

This group will provide people living with serious allergies an opportunity to use their experiences to directly influence our work going forward. We can’t wait to share more this year on how the experience and enthusiasm of this amazing group of people is helping us to create an even brighter future for those living with serious allergies.


And finally, we are beyond proud of our 2024 fundraisers. From abseiling to allergy-friendly cake bakes, junior running races to Ultra Marathons, cycling to trekking, and everything in between – our fundraising family is the best! Click here to find out more about their wonderful achievements.

And we can’t not mention how delighted we were with the success of our Big Give Christmas Challenge back in December. For 7 days, starting on #GivingTuesday 3 December, every donation to Anaphylaxis UK was automatically doubled whilst match-funds were available. Our goal was to raise £15,000 to help create a brighter and safer future for people living with serious allergies… and we were thrilled to announce we raised £15,855 thanks to your incredibly generous donations.


Having reflected on some of the positive strides we took in 2024, we are more motivated and committed than ever to continue developing resources, information and services to create a brighter future for those living with serious allergies… we will be by your side supporting you on your allergy journey for as long as you need us 🧡💙