Natasha's Law - Jersey's allergic Islanders 'deserve' better protection

On Monday 18 November 2024, The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation was invited to give an opening talk at the Jersey Food Allergy Conference, the first event of its kind in the Channel Islands.

We had never been to Jersey before and were instantly struck by the sheer beauty of the Island and how welcoming everyone was. The aim of the conference was to raise awareness about the impact of food allergies and to appeal to local lawmakers, to offer the same protections to their allergic community as those given in the UK.

The line-up of expert speakers was outstanding and we’re confident, along with others, that this conference has laid the groundwork for meaningful change. Discussions ranged from medical advancements and psychological support to practical solutions for businesses and schools.

To carry forward this important work, we have agreed with The Jersey Food Allergy Group that we will take the lead in campaigning for legislative change, to bring Natasha’s Law to Jersey. We hope also to extend our work to Guernsey. Working together, we want to improve the lives of people with food allergies in the Channel Islands and help to keep them safe.

We remain steadfast in our mission to #MakeAllergyHistory and to bring the protections and transparency that every person with food allergies deserves - in the Channel Islands and beyond. We thank Dominic Jones for inviting us to speak at such an important event.

Other keynote speakers were:

•Dr Adam Fox Prof of Paediatric Allergy at Guy’s & St Thomas' Hospital

•Dr Paul Turner Prof of Anaphylaxis & Paediatric Allergy, Imperial College, and Chair of the WAO Anaphylaxis Committee

•Dr Matthew Doyle Former Chair of the Primary Care Committee of BSACI

•Christina Jones at the University of Surrey

•Iain Ferris in Food Safety, Standards and Law at the University of Birmingham