Natasha's Foundation

Natasha's Foundation The food allergy charity. Our mission is to create a future without food allergy.

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new FREE Breakfast Club Allergy Training for school staff through our edu...
06/10/2026

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new FREE Breakfast Club Allergy Training for school staff through our education programme, Allergy School.

Breakfast clubs exist to give children the best possible start to their school day, while making mornings a little easier for families.

But if your child has food allergies, breakfast clubs can bring up a whole new set of worries.

Will the staff understand their allergy? Will the food they are given be safe? Will they know how to avoid cross-contact with other allergens? Will my child be safe and included?

The training is expert-led and designed with help from our partners highspeedtraining and to ensure all education settings can understand and manage food allergies within their breakfast clubs safely and with confidence.

No child with a food allergy should have to miss out on breakfast clubs.

With 1 in 13 children now having diagnosed food allergies, we want every school to have the knowledge and tools to make their breakfast clubs safe and inclusive for everyone.

Please share this with your child’s school or breakfast club. Sometimes simply making them aware that FREE support is available can make a real difference.

If you work in a school, please sign up for the training and share it with your colleagues.

It’s FREE and available now at allergyschool.org.uk

Let’s make sure every child can start their school day feeling safe, included and ready to learn.

Today, 1 October, we celebrate Natasha’s Day. It's a day when we remember our beautiful girl and everything that has hap...
01/10/2026

Today, 1 October, we celebrate Natasha’s Day. It's a day when we remember our beautiful girl and everything that has happened in her name.

Ten years ago, Natasha passed away following an allergic reaction to sesame seeds in a baguette. Sesame wasn’t listed as an ingredient on the packaging, and the coroner at her inquest was clear that, had it been, she would be alive today.

What followed was our determination, as we campaigned for Natasha’s Law, to make sure that what happened to Natasha did not happen to another family.

This year is particularly poignant because it marks five years since Natasha’s Law came into full force across the UK.

Since 1 October 2021, foods prepacked for direct sale have been required to carry a full ingredients list, with the allergens highlighted in bold. Natasha’s Law has given people with food allergies and intolerances clear ingredient information to help them make safer choices about the food they buy.

To see Natasha’s name on a law that helps protect people every day is something we are incredibly proud of. Yet, what has grown in her name, now goes far beyond Natasha’s Law, through the mission and work of Natasha’s Foundation.

Thank you to everyone who has stood beside us, shared our work, supported us, donated, fundraised, campaigned or helped spread allergy awareness. We are so very grateful.

You have helped us create real and lasting change that is actively helping and giving hope to millions of people living with food allergies.

Are you prepared for an anaphylaxis emergency? Anaphylaxis is the most severe of allergic reactions. It can escalate qui...
29/09/2026

Are you prepared for an anaphylaxis emergency?

Anaphylaxis is the most severe of allergic reactions. It can escalate quickly and can be life-threatening. If in doubt but you suspect anaphylaxis, always give adrenaline and call for medical help immediately.

Most people will fully recover, but it is important to know the signs and how to act quickly.

Know the signs, THINK ABC:

📣 AIRWAY

Persistent cough

Hoarse voice

Difficulty swallowing

Swollen tongue

📣 BREATHING

Difficult or noisy breathing

Wheezing

📣 CIRCULATION / CONSCIOUSNESS

Dizziness or feeling faint

Pale, clammy skin

Confusion

Collapse or loss of consciousness

If any of the above, the airway, breathing, or loss of consciousness are involved, give adrenaline immediately via an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) such as EpiPen. Be aware that anaphylaxis can happen with or without skin rash/hives symptoms.

Call 999 and say anaphylaxis (ana-fil-axis).

🚑Explain that you or your child are having a life-threatening allergic reaction and tell them you have administered an AAI.

⏰If no improvement after 5 minutes, give the second AAI.

❎Keep still, don't move around.

✅Lie flat with legs raised.

🗣If breathing is difficult, sit slightly upright.

🤢If feeling sick, gently turn to one side.

Important:

Antihistamines are NOT enough to treat anaphylaxis. Allow paramedics to take you to hospital, even if symptoms improve, as a second wave of symptoms can occur even hours later. Always carry two AAIs with you wherever you go.

📣 Every second counts. Please share, save, screenshot, it could save a life.

Sources: NHS, British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Natasha’s Foundation does not provide medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Could the bacteria in p**p hold a clue to treating peanut allergy?It sounds strange, we agree, but scientists are invest...
24/09/2026

Could the bacteria in p**p hold a clue to treating peanut allergy?

It sounds strange, we agree, but scientists are investigating exactly this and the early results are fascinating.

From the bacteria that help us digest food and regulate our immune system, to microbial imbalances that have been linked to inflammation and disease, scientists are beginning to uncover a complex relationship between our bodies and our gut microbes.

In a recent US study, researchers gave adults with severe peanut allergy capsules containing gut bacteria collected from healthy donors. The treatment is called faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).

The idea is simple: by changing the bacteria living in our gut, could we change our immune system’s allergic response to an allergen, in this case peanut?

In an early Phase 1 study, 15 adults with severe peanut allergy took part. At the start, they all reacted to less than half a peanut.

After being given the capsules, 6 out of 15 (40%) were able to tolerate more peanut before experiencing an allergic reaction. Their increased tolerance lasted for at least four months, the length of the study.

This did NOT mean they were no longer allergic, but researchers have identified particular types of beneficial gut bacteria that may be involved in these positive outcomes.

This was a very small Phase 1 study involving just 15 adults, with no placebo group, and FMT isn’t an approved treatment for peanut allergy. Much larger, controlled clinical trials would be needed.

But it’s exactly the kind of unexpected scientific thinking that can open new doors.

For decades, food allergy research has explored the immune system, genetics and environmental factors.

Now, scientists are asking whether the trillions of microbes living inside us could also be part of the answer. Sometimes breakthrough ideas can come from looking somewhere completely unexpected.

This spirit of curiosity sits at the heart of Natasha’s Prize, our £10 million global research initiative, which is challenging scientists to develop bold ideas and breakthrough solutions to prevent food allergies from developing in the first place.

We don’t know where the next breakthrough will come from: the microbiome, the immune system, genetics, our environment or something we haven’t even considered yet.

What do you think? Does it surprise you that scientists are looking to the gut for answers? 👇

Sources & further reading:
Science Translational Medicine (2026)
Science News (2022)
Boston Children’s Hospital

It’s a question most of us are asked when we visit a restaurant.But even 10 years ago, this wasn’t always the case.Over ...
22/09/2026

It’s a question most of us are asked when we visit a restaurant.

But even 10 years ago, this wasn’t always the case.

Over the last decade, food allergy awareness across hospitality has grown to such an extent that it can now feel unusual if you’re not asked this question. And for people living with food allergies, it’s a question that really matters.

It not only opens up the allergy conversation before food is ordered, it gives someone the opportunity to explain their allergy, ask questions and make an informed decision about whether the restaurant can safely cater for them.

When someone answers, “Yes, I have a food allergy”, it’s essential that good communication follows. This means the server listens carefully and takes the allergy information they are being given seriously.

Restaurants are legally required to provide accurate information about the 14 regulated allergens when they are used as ingredients. But people can be allergic to many other foods too, so listening to exactly what someone is allergic to is vital.

And sometimes, the safest and most responsible answer a restaurant can give is, “We can’t safely cater for your allergy.”

But the restaurants that really stand out are those that show they care about including customers with food allergies. They make sure their staff receive comprehensive allergy training and that their kitchen teams understand and follow the systems and processes needed to prepare meals safely.

In return, they can earn enormous loyalty and gratitude for something that should feel very simple: being able to sit down and enjoy a safely prepared meal.

We’ve come a long way, but inclusion isn’t achieved simply by asking the question.

Restaurants then need to listen to the answer, understand what it means and give an informed, accurate and honest response.

Being asked about your food allergy in a restaurant should give you greater confidence.

What has your experience been?

When Natasha was a baby, she had painful eczema.One evening, as we prepared to bathe her in a well-known bath cream, hea...
17/09/2026

When Natasha was a baby, she had painful eczema.

One evening, as we prepared to bathe her in a well-known bath cream, heavily marketed for babies and children with eczema, Natasha’s father looked at the ingredients and said to me, “Did you know this contains peanut oil?”

I hadn’t seen anything worrying in the ingredients, but there it was, written in French: “huile d’arachide”.

I don’t speak French. I couldn’t believe we had been bathing our daughter for at least seven months in a product containing peanut oil without knowing it was there.

We already knew she had food allergies, and this felt so dangerous. Natasha had already experienced two anaphylactic reactions to milk and banana, and we dreaded the possibility of her also being allergic to other foods, such as peanuts.

I made a complaint to customer services but never heard back from them. This was many years ago and, thankfully, the product no longer contains peanut oil.

But what we know much more about now is the relationship between eczema and food allergy.

Babies and young children with eczema have a higher risk of developing food allergies. Research suggests that when food proteins come into contact with broken or eczema-affected skin, rather than being eaten, the immune system can become sensitised to them.

That’s why looking after the skin barrier is so important. Keeping eczema-prone skin well moisturised with suitable emollients, creams and ointments can help protect it, and your child’s doctor or healthcare professional can advise you on the most appropriate products to use.

It’s also worth being aware that skincare products can contain food-derived ingredients, including:

‼️ Unrefined food oils, which can include almond, sesame seed, macadamia nut and peanut oils.

‼️ Ingredients derived from foods such as oats, wheat and avocado.

‼️ Ingredients derived from goat’s milk, cow’s milk or egg, as well as honey and beeswax.

‼️ Olive oil, which is also used in some skincare products. Research has raised questions about the effect of some forms of olive oil on the skin barrier.

This doesn’t mean every ingredient listed above will be unsuitable for every child. If your baby or child has eczema, speak to your doctor or healthcare professional about the most appropriate products for their skin.

And always check the ingredients. As I learnt all those years ago, what is in a product may not always be immediately obvious from the name on the label.

Was eczema the start of your allergic journey?

Natasha’s Foundation does not provide medical advice. All medical information is sourced from reputable medical sites, experts and publishers. Always seek the advice of your doctor or another qualified healthcare professional.

Over the years, we’ve heard from so many parents whose schools have reassured them that they are safe for children with ...
15/09/2026

Over the years, we’ve heard from so many parents whose schools have reassured them that they are safe for children with food allergies because they are ‘nut-free’.

We can understand why that may feel reassuring. If your child is allergic to nuts, knowing they aren’t allowed in school can feel like an important layer of protection.

But while being ‘nut-free’ may help reduce the risk, it doesn’t mean a school is automatically nut-safe, and it certainly doesn’t make it allergy-safe.

If a school says it is ‘nut-free’, it can create an assumption that is impossible to guarantee: that the risk has been completely dealt with and that the school can control every opportunity for nuts to enter the school gates, or make their way into a packed lunch on a school trip.

And, of course, children can be allergic to many other foods, not just nuts.

What truly matters is whether the school understands each individual child’s allergy and has the right arrangements and procedures in place to keep them safe.

Staff need to have a clear understanding of, and access to, this information. They need to know how to recognise an allergic reaction and what to do if one happens. Emergency medication needs to be accessible, and allergy safety needs to be considered throughout the school day, not just at lunchtimes, but also on trips, during activities and at school events.

That’s why Benedict’s Law requires schools in England to take a whole-school approach to allergy safety, with the right policies, training, emergency procedures and support in place for every young person with allergies.

Allergy safety can’t be measured by a nut ban. It’s measured by how prepared a school is to protect your child, whatever their allergy, and to act appropriately when it matters most.

Tell your child’s school about Allergy School from Natasha’s Foundation. It offers FREE expert-led training, guidance, resources and support to help schools understand and meet their new statutory requirements with confidence.

allergyschool.org.uk

Keeping your child safe from allergic reactions and anaphylaxis requires some serious skills.Being alert and trying to f...
11/09/2026

Keeping your child safe from allergic reactions and anaphylaxis requires some serious skills.

Being alert and trying to foresee every possible opportunity for accidental exposure to allergens is just the start. It’s part of everyday life, but as every day isn’t the same, these risk assessments often have to change daily, and even minute by minute.

Then there’s the fear that others won’t understand the consequences of getting it wrong. So trying to trust the world around your child can feel like an impossible leap of faith.

And behind all of this comes the responsibility to keep life as normal as possible.

Making sure you’re not transferring your worries and anxieties onto your child. Giving them a childhood that isn’t dictated by fear. Allowing them every chance to participate in life as fully as possible.

We know so many parents and carers in our community will be doing all of these things, and we recognise the different load that you carry.

You are not alone, and at Natasha’s Foundation we are working hard to take some of that load off you. One day, our hope is that it will be removed altogether.

Let us know what you carry that feels particularly heavy at the moment, or how you have managed to lighten your load.

You may be speaking directly to someone who needs to hear it today.

09/09/2026

Our brilliant Ambassador Megan doing what she does best. Raising awareness of food allergies!

Megan lives with food allergies herself and now, as a mum, brings another very personal perspective to her work with us at Natasha’s Foundation.

In this lovely conversation with Giovanna Fletcher, she talks about weaning, introducing allergens in infancy and the very real anxiety that can come with it. Megan shares how worried she was about introducing peanut to her son Landon, even considering giving him peanut butter in a hospital car park, just in case he had an allergic reaction.

It might sound extreme, but that fear is very real for so many parents, and it shouldn’t have to be. Families deserve clear information, care and support so they can feel confident introducing allergens to their babies.

We need more open conversations like this about food allergy, helping families understand the risks, recognise reactions and know what to do in an emergency.

We might be slightly biased, but we particularly loved hearing Megan talk about our wonderful co-founder Tanya and the work of Natasha’s Foundation.

Huge thanks to happymumhq for giving this important conversation a platform, and to Megan McKenna for continuing to use her voice and her own experiences to help raise food allergy awareness.

Go and watch the full episode. It’s such an honest conversation and well worth a listen:

https://youtu.be/-Iy6NuM_328?is=-Flx-ZOpF48KR9-S

In June 2025, 24-year-old Riley Brown died from anaphylaxis after eating dinner at Halifax Respite, a community mental h...
07/09/2026

In June 2025, 24-year-old Riley Brown died from anaphylaxis after eating dinner at Halifax Respite, a community mental health facility in Nelson, New Zealand.

Now, following an investigation into his death, a coroner has detailed the events that led to Riley’s death.

The facility knew Riley had a peanut allergy and it was recorded in his admission documents. Yet the stir-fry he was served was made using a curry paste labelled “may contain peanuts”. The nurse who prepared the meal told police he had not read the food label.

Within half an hour, Riley became unwell and vomited. He told staff he was having an allergic reaction and asked for an EpiPen, but there wasn’t one available at the facility.

An ambulance was called and Riley’s condition rapidly deteriorated. Paramedics administered adrenaline, but tragically, he could not be saved.

The coroner found that “several matters aligned tragically” in Riley’s death, revealing a series of failures in how his allergy was recorded, communicated and managed. His peanut allergy was known and recorded at the facility, yet that vital information did not translate into the food being prepared for him.

The coroner has now recommended changes to how people with known allergies in facilities are cared for, including reviewing allergy safety processes at the facility and considering whether adrenaline auto-injectors should be available when someone with a known allergy is staying there.

This is why allergy safety can never simply be information written on a form. Information given has to inform what happens next.

It means checking every label. Making safe decisions about food. Ensuring allergy information and protocols follow someone through their care. Making sure staff understand anaphylaxis and are prepared to respond confidently in an emergency.

Riley’s mum, Paula, described his death as a “senseless waste of a life” that could have been prevented. Our thoughts are with Paula, Riley’s family and everyone who loved him. It is a travesty that the system that was meant to care for Riley failed him so tragically.

To read the full article click the link below: https://www.narf.org.uk/media-coverage/2026/9/7/ch1c6nun3qv2uqc9wxw5t76si7eao0

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