We believe every individual affected by eating distress deserves specialist support, hope, and the knowledge that recovery is possible.

Why we’re needed

A report in 2025 by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders shows a growing number of people affected by eating distress:

• 12% of all 17-19-year olds - and nearly 21% of young women - have an eating disorder, a 2023 mental-health survey suggests.
• Two to three million UK adults of all ages could be affected at some point in their lives - similar to the number of people with diabetes, other research suggests.
• Hospital admissions for eating disorders in England have steadily increased since 2000 and surged since the pandemic, with more than 31,000 admissions in 2023-24

During 2023/24, our counselling service worked with 458 clients – an increase of 13% from the previous financial year.

Our Impact

As the only specialist eating distress charity in the North East of England, we offer counselling, support, information, help, and hope to anyone in the region affected by eating distress, with or without a medical diagnosis.

In the past year, our counselling services have made a significant difference:

• Positive change: 97% of individuals reported experiencing a positive change after completing our counselling sessions.
• Improved wellbeing: 79% noted increased self-esteem and overall wellbeing.
• Better coping mechanisms: 70% felt better equipped to manage their eating distress and navigate life events.

Feedback from our service users underscores the transformative power of our support:

“I have become more aware of my disordered eating and can challenge thoughts and worries. The recovery work I did is hanging in my kitchen so I am reminded of my goals and hopes.”

“I view situations differently, treat myself differently, things that would in the past trigger me, I now have coping mechanisms for and can handle better.”

“Although I am going through some very testing and personal times since my counselling ended, I feel like I am coping with them better than I would have previously.”

Why your support matters

As a small charity, our work is funded through health funding, grants from charitable trusts and foundations, and donations from the public. Your contributions enable us to:

• Provide specialised one-to-one counselling sessions.
• Run support groups.
• Offer training, so people can spot the signs of eating distress, and help others seek the support they need as early as possible.

How you can help

Your support can make a profound difference:

• One-time donation: A single contribution can fund a counselling session, offering immediate support to someone in need.
• Monthly donation: Regular contributions help sustain our services, ensuring continuous support for individuals on their recovery journey.
• Fundraise for us: Organise events or challenges to raise awareness and funds for EDNE.
• Easyfundraising: Shop online through Easyfundraising, and participating brands will make a donation to EDNE at no extra cost to you. Find out more.

Get Involved

You can make a donation at LocalGiving. If you prefer to donate offline or explore other ways to support us, please contact us at:

• Phone: 0191 221 0233
• Email: enquiries@edne.org.uk

Your generosity ensures that we can continue to offer hope, understanding, and a route to recovery for individuals impacted by eating distress in the North East.

Thank you for standing with us.

Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising free donations for Eating Distress North East with Easyfundraising?

There are over 7,000 brands on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds.

All you need to do is:

1. Go to our campaign page and join for free.
2. Every time you shop online, go to Easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.
3. After you’ve checked out, the brand will make a donation to Eating Distress North East at no extra cost to you.

There are no catches or hidden charges and we will be very grateful for your donations.

Thank you for your support!