SacredHeart
Senior Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
A couple of you were interested to see what was actually IN the letter we sent to Richard Lane, so this is the text below. Naturally set out a bit more nicely than this!
FAO: Richard Lane, President of Diabetes UK
Dear Richard,
I am writing to you on behalf of the online campaign group, DiDkA. DiDkA is a not-for-profit group campaigning for better standards in the supply and service of diet drinks.
The group formed early in February 2010, by members of DiabetesSupport.co.uk, the online forum supported by Diabetes UK. After hearing stories of forum members who were being served full-sugar drinks after ordering the diet version, members of the forum decided that enough was enough, and something had to be done about this,. This led to DiDkA being formed.
I am sure you are aware that whilst a can of a diet cola drink contains no sugar, a can of a regular cola drink contains 39 grams on average, which is equivalent to more than nine teaspoons of sugar. Naturally, unknowingly consuming this amount of sugar is a matter that concerns many people with diabetes, as this can cause a sharp rise in blood glucose levels.
DiDkA currently operates from a Facebook group, which at the time of writing, has been joined by over 600 people since its formation on 2nd February 2010. Many of the members of the group have come forward with testimonies of poor service and attitude from service staff. I am enclosing a separate sheet, containing some of these testimonies, for your reference. Research from members of DiDkA has also led us to realise that this is a global problem, with many people from other countries telling similar stories. One article on a well-respected American diabetes website (www.diabeteshealth.com) shows that poor service of diet drinks has been a problem for nearly 20 years.
Our aims are simple, and are as follows:
One of our long-term goals is to create a strong, positive relationship with retailers, so that the needs of both parties are well understood. The hope is that by creating a good rapport with businesses, they will be willing to sign up to the DiDkA Pledge mentioned in the above aims. The pledge consists of several points, which amount to the retailer agreeing to fulfil the aims given above, and being willing to make reasonable and appropriate changes to fulfil these aims. In exchange for signing up to the DiDkA Pledge, the retailer will be awarded the DiDkA Mark, which will give them a sign to display in their window, as well as a certificate outlining what the Mark means to the customer. We will also advertise any retailer who signs up for the pledge on the DiDkA website, meaning that the consumer can search for retailers in their area where they can purchase diet drinks in confidence.
We are already in talks with pubs in York, one of which is a particular student favourite, and has expressed a desire to be involved with campaigning. This is likely to be the first retailer to sign up for the DiDkA Pledge.
Our next step, as our website goes officially 'live' in March, is to begin our 'Big Test' Campaign, where we are encouraging members to test any drinks they have suspicions of with urine testing strips. These strips would be bought over the counter, not ordered on prescription. We are then asking that these results, along with reactions of service staff be recorded as a short written report, which would be returned to the Steering Group which currently leads DiDkA. These reports would allow us to gather a better understanding of how frequently this happens, and how it is handled at the point of service.
It is our hope that Diabetes UK, as a body with a natural vested interest in the issues concerning those living with diabetes, would be able to offer us assistance as our campaigning progresses. Should that be in a mostly advisory capacity, we would be extremely glad to have that assistance. However, should Diabetes UK wish to support us, and lend its voice and contacts, we would be very happy to have you stand alongside us in addressing an issue which concerns so many people living with diabetes today.
As a Type One diabetic myself, and a Supporting Member of Diabetes UK, I know I speak for many people involved with DiDkA when I say that I am hopeful that you will see the merit in this campaign, and want to be actively involved with us.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Thomson
Co-Director of the DiDkA Steering Group
(will now be Co-ordinator after some discussion!
)
And these are the testimonies we sent. I've changed the names to initials for use on here:
?I just got home from the pub. I was 5.7mmols before I left, had a gin and slim (I saw the bottle and it was slimline) and then a "diet" coke....it must have been ordinary coke because my BM is now 19.9mmols. I am already bad and paranoid about those soft drink hand-held button pushing thingymajigies [sic] to dispense soft drinks in pubs. Now this is going to make me worse.?
LF (Type 1 Diabetic)
?I always worry about this with my diabetic son.... Especially when you have drink on draught. If you can get diet options places in the first place! I know from my own experience in the past when I worked in a pub and before I knew about diabetes that if you have no diet you will give normal and keep quiet and hope no-one notices... also who's to say the last person who changed the syrup used the right one?I always end up carrying drinks with me everywhere we go - it's right pain?
?Just recently, whilst working for a well known 'fried chicken' establishment, I came across a problem with the Pepsi lines. It seemed as though full fat Pepsi was coming out of the diet nozzle, and diet coming out of the full fat. It was brought to my attention after a young girl (about 13 years of age) came up to the counter in tears. She told me that she didn't know if her drink was diet and that her "sugars are 23". I was shocked and appalled, I tasted her drink and immediately noticed that it was full fat Pepsi, got her a new drink and then sat with her while she tried to calm herself down. And then, I pulled the Manager into the office and read him the riot act regarding this. His establishment could have been in a LOT of trouble if this got out. It turned out that one of the employees had switched the tubes around as a joke.?
?I was in a Wetherspoons Friday night, and I said clearly twice Diet Coke, please to which I watched him press the fat coke button on the pump, I questioned him and he started to disagree, to which I said I'm diabetic so I have to know and I know which button is which on the pump, he got all flustered and got me a new diabetes friendly drink.?
SB (Type 1 Diabetic)
FAO: Richard Lane, President of Diabetes UK
Dear Richard,
I am writing to you on behalf of the online campaign group, DiDkA. DiDkA is a not-for-profit group campaigning for better standards in the supply and service of diet drinks.
The group formed early in February 2010, by members of DiabetesSupport.co.uk, the online forum supported by Diabetes UK. After hearing stories of forum members who were being served full-sugar drinks after ordering the diet version, members of the forum decided that enough was enough, and something had to be done about this,. This led to DiDkA being formed.
I am sure you are aware that whilst a can of a diet cola drink contains no sugar, a can of a regular cola drink contains 39 grams on average, which is equivalent to more than nine teaspoons of sugar. Naturally, unknowingly consuming this amount of sugar is a matter that concerns many people with diabetes, as this can cause a sharp rise in blood glucose levels.
DiDkA currently operates from a Facebook group, which at the time of writing, has been joined by over 600 people since its formation on 2nd February 2010. Many of the members of the group have come forward with testimonies of poor service and attitude from service staff. I am enclosing a separate sheet, containing some of these testimonies, for your reference. Research from members of DiDkA has also led us to realise that this is a global problem, with many people from other countries telling similar stories. One article on a well-respected American diabetes website (www.diabeteshealth.com) shows that poor service of diet drinks has been a problem for nearly 20 years.
Our aims are simple, and are as follows:
- * To educate management of any outlet serving drinks as to the dangers of incorrectly serving full-sugar soft drinks when a diet version has been ordered, and to encourage management to train their staff in the same fashion
-
- To put a stop to the highly dangerous practice of switching full-sugar and diet pipes on pump dispensers for 'entertainment' of the serving staff
- To get retailers to sign up to the DiDkA Pledge, identifying their business as being aware of the issues surrounding diet drinks
- For a better selection of diet drinks, both still and carbonated, to be on offer from retailers across the board
One of our long-term goals is to create a strong, positive relationship with retailers, so that the needs of both parties are well understood. The hope is that by creating a good rapport with businesses, they will be willing to sign up to the DiDkA Pledge mentioned in the above aims. The pledge consists of several points, which amount to the retailer agreeing to fulfil the aims given above, and being willing to make reasonable and appropriate changes to fulfil these aims. In exchange for signing up to the DiDkA Pledge, the retailer will be awarded the DiDkA Mark, which will give them a sign to display in their window, as well as a certificate outlining what the Mark means to the customer. We will also advertise any retailer who signs up for the pledge on the DiDkA website, meaning that the consumer can search for retailers in their area where they can purchase diet drinks in confidence.
We are already in talks with pubs in York, one of which is a particular student favourite, and has expressed a desire to be involved with campaigning. This is likely to be the first retailer to sign up for the DiDkA Pledge.
Our next step, as our website goes officially 'live' in March, is to begin our 'Big Test' Campaign, where we are encouraging members to test any drinks they have suspicions of with urine testing strips. These strips would be bought over the counter, not ordered on prescription. We are then asking that these results, along with reactions of service staff be recorded as a short written report, which would be returned to the Steering Group which currently leads DiDkA. These reports would allow us to gather a better understanding of how frequently this happens, and how it is handled at the point of service.
It is our hope that Diabetes UK, as a body with a natural vested interest in the issues concerning those living with diabetes, would be able to offer us assistance as our campaigning progresses. Should that be in a mostly advisory capacity, we would be extremely glad to have that assistance. However, should Diabetes UK wish to support us, and lend its voice and contacts, we would be very happy to have you stand alongside us in addressing an issue which concerns so many people living with diabetes today.
As a Type One diabetic myself, and a Supporting Member of Diabetes UK, I know I speak for many people involved with DiDkA when I say that I am hopeful that you will see the merit in this campaign, and want to be actively involved with us.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Thomson
Co-Director of the DiDkA Steering Group
(will now be Co-ordinator after some discussion!
)And these are the testimonies we sent. I've changed the names to initials for use on here:
Testimonies from members of DiDkA
All of the following testimonies come from members of
www.diabetessupport.co.uk, or from the DiDkA Facebook group
All of the following testimonies come from members of
www.diabetessupport.co.uk, or from the DiDkA Facebook group
?I just got home from the pub. I was 5.7mmols before I left, had a gin and slim (I saw the bottle and it was slimline) and then a "diet" coke....it must have been ordinary coke because my BM is now 19.9mmols. I am already bad and paranoid about those soft drink hand-held button pushing thingymajigies [sic] to dispense soft drinks in pubs. Now this is going to make me worse.?
LF (Type 1 Diabetic)
?I always worry about this with my diabetic son.... Especially when you have drink on draught. If you can get diet options places in the first place! I know from my own experience in the past when I worked in a pub and before I knew about diabetes that if you have no diet you will give normal and keep quiet and hope no-one notices... also who's to say the last person who changed the syrup used the right one?I always end up carrying drinks with me everywhere we go - it's right pain?
CM (Parent of a child with diabetes)
?Just recently, whilst working for a well known 'fried chicken' establishment, I came across a problem with the Pepsi lines. It seemed as though full fat Pepsi was coming out of the diet nozzle, and diet coming out of the full fat. It was brought to my attention after a young girl (about 13 years of age) came up to the counter in tears. She told me that she didn't know if her drink was diet and that her "sugars are 23". I was shocked and appalled, I tasted her drink and immediately noticed that it was full fat Pepsi, got her a new drink and then sat with her while she tried to calm herself down. And then, I pulled the Manager into the office and read him the riot act regarding this. His establishment could have been in a LOT of trouble if this got out. It turned out that one of the employees had switched the tubes around as a joke.?
SM(Type 1 Diabetic)
?I was in a Wetherspoons Friday night, and I said clearly twice Diet Coke, please to which I watched him press the fat coke button on the pump, I questioned him and he started to disagree, to which I said I'm diabetic so I have to know and I know which button is which on the pump, he got all flustered and got me a new diabetes friendly drink.?
SB (Type 1 Diabetic)
