Call for volunteers in Wiltshire to find thousands at high risk of diabetes

DiabetesUK_final_brandDiabetes UK is looking for volunteers to take part in Healthy Lifestyle Roadshows, run in partnership with Wiltshire Council, in October and November.

The 10 roadshows will be seeking to find some of the one in seven people in the UK who are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

They will take place in Melksham on 7 October, Devizes on 8 October, Trowbridge on 9 October, Warminster on 10 October, Chippenham on 11 October, Pewsey on 28 October, Amesbury on 29 October, Bradford on Avon on 30 October, Calne on 31 October and Salisbury on 1 November.

Risk assessments are carried out at roadshows across the country in towns and city centres. People who are found to be at moderate or high risk of developing the condition are referred to their GP.

The volunteer role at the roadshows will include raising awareness of diabetes and Diabetes UK; talking to those at risk of developing the condition; carrying out risk assessments by measuring height, weight and waist measurement and asking a series of questions; and encouraging those at risk to visit their GP or practice nurse if necessary.

Volunteers will be given full training for the role once they have committed to attending the roadshow. A training day for risk assessors will be held in Wiltshire in September. Volunteer expenses will be covered.

For those people who already have the condition and do not know it, being referred to their GP can be an important step to getting an early diagnosis and access to the right treatment and care. In Wiltshire, there are more than 5,000 people estimated to have undiagnosed diabetes.

Diabetes can lead to health complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation. Half of people with Type 2 diabetes will show signs of some of these complications by the time they are diagnosed, but risks of developing these can be reduced by being seen by a doctor as early as possible. For those who do not have the condition, healthy lifestyle choices could mean that Type 2 diabetes is delayed or even prevented.

Susi Calder, Diabetes UK South West Volunteer Development Officer said: “Risk assessments are a vital part of our work to encourage early diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and to help people reduce their risk of developing the condition. At the roadshows, there is lots of information, encouragement and advice about Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK provides all the necessary training and our roadshows are great events to be involved with.”

If people are interested in volunteering for the roadshows please email [email protected] or telephone 01823 448260.

For more information you can visit:

www.diabetes.org.uk

www.facebook.com/diabetesuk

www.twitter.com/diabetesuk