MEDIA RELEASE

Coeliac Awareness Week sees Gluten Free Centre announcing new community recommendation scheme for restaurants and cafés

To mark the start of Coeliac Awareness Week, the award winning Gluten Free Centre has introduced a scheme that rewards restaurants, cafés and hotels, shops and take-aways with a special window sticker to demonstrate positive reviews from the "Gluten Free" community.

The Gluten Free Centre is an online resource and community hub for those living gluten free especially for people with coeliac disease and gluten intolerance. Tens of thousands find support and ideas on the site, mobile app, newsletters and lively social media pages.

It is the UK's most comprehensive dedicated gluten free directory that is independent and 100% free to use. The majority of the information on the site is user generated and it's a platform where the whole of the gluten free community can come together, find tips, ideas, news, support and share their experience.

Diana Murphy, from Malmesbury, Wiltshire, co-founded the directory and explains the idea behind the stickers, "We are seeing so many people who are living a gluten-free life adding reviews of places where they have been welcomed and eaten great food and we wanted to reward those establishments with a "Recommended on the Gluten Free Centre" sticker. This will help others who can then go and eat at these recommended restaurants and cafés safe in the knowledge that they can cater for their diet."

Cristina Carducci, Marketing and Communications Manager at London based La Polenteria said: "At La Polenteria we know how difficult it can be for people on a gluten-free diet to find a place where it's possible to feel free and have a good meal with no danger of cross contamination. That's why we find the Gluten-free centre sticker a brilliant idea, the easiest way to find a recommended place for the best gluten-free meals in town!"

Becky Excell, Gluten Free Food Blogger from Essex, wrote: "I think the stickers are a great idea. The Gluten Free Centre is a brilliant source that I have always looked to when finding places to eat out, news about new products and general information on gluten free living. It's a source I can trust.

"The fact that I will now be able to see the sticker on the window of restaurants recommended by the site users makes me feel reassured and happy that I am going to a delicious eatery that made an effort to offer a selection of suitable dishes.

"I can guarantee from the amount of comments about restaurants I receive on my blog that these stickers will be very helpful to the entire gluten free community in the UK."

For more information about the Gluten Free Centre visit: www.theglutenfreecentre.co.uk

Further press information from Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114; M/: 07960698089 or E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Diana Murphy co-created the independent Gluten Free Centre website and mobile app with her husband David in 2014, after having to live a gluten and dairy free life for many years due to severe food intolerances. Diana is available for interviews.

There is a wealth of practical information on the site. Visitors can rate and review products and services, find voucher and discount codes to save on their shopping, enter give-aways and competitions, find recipes, new products, stories and lots of inspiration!

May 2016 (GFC 01)