About Syeda

Syeda is user led.  We welcome feedback and ideas on what support our users find most helpful.  There are people who have recovered from an eating disorder and people who are caring for someone with an eating disorder on our Board (which is responsible for the overall running of the organisation).   We campaign to improve services available to people with eating disorders.  We successfully influenced the setting up of two specialised, eating disorder outreach clinics at the two GP surgeries in Sheffield serving the two universities. Our funding comes from a range of sources: the NHS (Sheffield Primary Care Trusts), Sheffield City Council, Comic Relief and other trust funds.  We raise a lot of our funding ourselves.

Syeda is a regional charity that supports anyone affected by an eating disorder.  What does Syeda do? We give information and advice and run support services for people with eating disorders and their 'carers'.  By a carer we mean anyone who cares about someone with an eating disorder: family, friends, partners, colleagues.  (see How We Can Help). We run a Help Line: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10.00am - 5.00 pm  on  0114 272 8855. We have a library of useful books, which you are welcome to borrow - library opening times Tuesdays and Thursdays 2pm - 5pm.  See Road to Recovery & Carers for books you might like to try. We raise awareness of eating disorders by training professionals, going out into schools, and taking information stands to public events.  If you would like us to give a presentation, or tailor training to suit your needs, please contact us. We advocate for any person with an eating disorder being able to access appropriate treatment quickly.  We are affiliated to Beat - the national eating disorders association.

Thanks to the support and determination of our members and to a Big Lottery Fund grant (along with grants and donations from a range of other sources including Comic Relief and the Tudor Trust) we have  our own, dedicated centre next to Zest (formerly Upperthorpe Healthy Living Centre) in Sheffield.  You can access us through Upperthorpe Library or we  have our own entrance is at the back at the bottom of Daniel Hill.   See www.uhlc.org.uk for a map.

Our centre is a friendly, accessible place where you can come for information and advice as well as hope, encouragement and support. We very much want our users to help shape the services we offer.

As the organisation expands, we also plan to run Syeda activities in Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster. 

Research - Participants Required!

One of our volunteers is doing a PhD on eating disorders at Sheffield University and is looking for people with eating disorders who would be prepared to fill out a questionnaire and take part in a short  computer-based experiment.  This experiment involves pressing a few buttons on a computer in response to a series of words appearing on screen.  The experiment lasts no longer than 15 minutes and you would be paid £5 as a thank you for taking part and helping with this research. 

If you're interested, please contact Claire - our Services Coordinator - on 0114 272 8822.

Our address is: Syeda, c/o Zest, 18 Upperthorpe, Sheffield S6 3NA.  Admin line: 0114 272 8822.

Our Charity Number is 1114451.  Limited Company No. 5689222