The Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation supported World Diabetes Day on Saturday 14 November this year with an awareness-raising coffee morning held on the day to highlight the seriousness of diabetes.
Every year, the global diabetes community comes together to mark World Diabetes Day, a United Nations Day and the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes world, on 14 November.
Coffee morning
The drop in open morning held on World Diabetes Day at
the DRWF office in Northney Marina, Hayling Island was for all people with diabetes or who have been affected by the condition. Visitors were able to pop in for a cup of coffee, pick up a goody bag and have a chat with the DRWF team to find out more about the support the charity offers. It was free to attend. Picture courtesy of The News, Portsmouth
Monument Challenge
The charity encouraged local landmarks in Portsmouth, The Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth Guildhall, New Theatre Royal, HMS Warrior and the Aspex Gallery, along with the Bournemouth International Centre and Bournemouth Pier to light up blue to mark World Diabetes Day (WDD) during the evening. The Portsmouth landmarks were in good company because the London Eye, Shell Centre, Gateshead Millenium Bridge and Falkirk Wheel also lit up this year.
So far, it's reported that more than 38 monuments across the UK took part this year, an increase of around 46 percent on 2008.
The World Diabetes Day Monument Challenge, hosted by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), sees countries across the world compete to light the highest number of buildings and landmarks in blue, on or around World Diabetes Day. Hundreds of landmarks were lit up blue last year from Egypt to the United States and Japan to Croatia.
Blue represents World Diabetes Day because it is the official colour of the logo and of the Unite for Diabetes campaign which was instrumental in the United Nations’ resolution recognising diabetes as a major threat to global health.
Other activities
The Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation network of charities and not-for-profit organisations also raised awareness to World Diabetes Day this year via direct mail in the UK, US, France, Germany and Sweden. More than 700,000 packs containing information about World Diabetes Day and the global impact of diabetes were distributed in the run up to 14th November.
The Spinnaker Tower and New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, UK lit up for the WDD Monument Challenge this year