Posted on: 2 April 2019
DigiBete, the Leeds-based digital diabetes initiative, is seeking public votes for a chance to win £50,000 from the People’s Projects.
From 1 April 2019 the public can choose their preferred project to secure funding from the National Lottery by logging on to www.
DigiBete needs as many votes as possible to secure the funding and is only one of five projects in the region to be in with a shot at receiving the cash.
If successful, DigiBete would use the money to support vulnerable teens and young people with Type 1 Diabetes to take control of their health and live their lives. The project ‘Take care of me: My life with Type 1 Diabetes’ will include workshops and use young peoples’ experiences to co-create education films with the aim of helping 1000s of other young people like them through DigiBete’s online platform all whilst boosting their confidence and giving them a voice.
DigiBete is the brain child of parents Maddie and Rob Julian whose young son Otis has Type 1 Diabetes. Together with diabetes experts, patients and parents from Leeds Children’s Hospital, the couple have developed a vast range of online resources including videos and toolkits so that families have access to clinically approved information on diabetes management 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Since its launch in 2017, DigiBete has gone from strength to strength, providing support to families from across Leeds, Yorkshire and the whole of the UK, and winning several prestigious awards.
DigiBete co-founder Maddie Julian said:
“This is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and support for our ‘Made In Leeds’ healthier lives project. With your help, we can secure much-needed funding to drive DigiBete forward. We urge local people to get behind us. If successful, this will help us to make an even bigger difference to patients and families in Leeds, nationally and beyond through our online platform”
Dr Mike Richards Clinical Director at Leeds Children’s Hospital said:
“DigiBete was created right here in Leeds but is helping children and young people across the country to better manage their diabetes and live their lives to the full.
“The People’s Project presents a fantastic opportunity. If successful, young people with diabetes will be able to get involved and develop their awareness of managing their diabetes as well as growing their confidence and teaching important life skills. The creation of peer-support tools including videos is a very exciting prospect and I’d urge everyone to get behind Digibete to support their People’s Project bid!”
The People’s Projects has awarded around £42 million to 960 good causes across the UK since it started in 2005. Designed to celebrate some of the incredible projects the National Lottery has supported over the past year, 95 community-based schemes are now shortlisted across the UK. In each region, the three that receive the most public votes will each receive a grant of up to £50,000 to help them continue their work to improve local people’s lives and help their communities to thrive.
Joe Ferns, UK Funding Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said:
“As the largest funder of community activity in the UK, we are proud to support groups that are led by the vision, determination and drive of local people to strengthen communities. In previous years we have seen a wide range of successful projects, from a café supporting young carers to animal-assisted therapy for people living with dementia and the development of a bee-friendly orchard. The People’s Projects is a chance for you to have your say on how National Lottery funding can help your community to thrive.”
Voting closes at noon on Monday 15 April 2019. People can vote once per region and will need a telephone number or email address to vote. To support DigiBete and for T&Cs please visit www.
DigiBete would like to give special mention and thanks to Leeds City Council, Leeds Arena and Platform for lighting up their buildings orange on Monday 1 April to in support of DigiBete’s campaign.
About DigiBete
DigiBete.org is a multi-award winning, patient-led, clinically approved platform designed to improve children and young people's Type 1 Diabetes self-management through online education, awareness and training, peer support and physical meet ups.
DigiBete has been developed with the support of clinicians, patients and their families at Leeds Children’s Hospital, a leading centre for paediatric diabetes care in the UK and Europe. Leeds Children’s Hospital is one of the UK’s largest specialist children’s hospitals offering a wide range of treatment and care for children from birth to young adulthood and beyond. Our ambition is to be a globally recognised, leading provider of healthcare for children and young people; engaging with our patients and their families to make our services and their experience the best they can be. Our holistic approach focuses on ensuring that children receive the best possible clinical care whilst supporting them to live their best life and to achieve their key milestones.
About Leeds Children’s Hospital
Leeds Children’s Hospital is one of the UK’s largest specialist children’s hospitals offering a wide range of treatment and care for children from birth to young adulthood and beyond.
Our ambition is to be a globally recognised, leading provider of healthcare for children and young people; engaging with our patients and their families to make our services and their experience the best they can be. Our holistic approach focuses on ensuring that children receive the best possible clinical care whilst supporting them to live their best life and to achieve their key milestones.