Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association
"serving those affected by eating disorders"

Scheme

Am I looking for a Pen-Pal?

Would you like to write to someone in a similar situation to yourself, or with similar interests?

Being a Pen-Pal gives you the opportunity to discuss ideas, share thoughts and feelings and give and receive support in your struggle with Eating Disorders.

You will need to think about what you are hoping to gain from your Pen-Pal relationship and perhaps also what you can offer as a Pen-Pal yourself, before writing a short statement about yourself:- eg.

"I am an inpatient in an acute unit, I have had an eating disorder for 7 years and would like to hear from anyone willing to write."

"I write a lot of poetry and would like to exchange poems and discuss them with someone who also has an eating disorder."

"Do you have experience of having CBT? It's in my Care Plan and I want to know how useful other people found it."

The information that you give about yourself will be made available to members of the scheme looking for a Pen-Pal.

Guidelines

What Should I Do Next?

If you would like to be involved in SWEDA's Pen-Pal scheme, you will need to register with us. To do this you can write into SWEDA, call the helpline or download the form from our web site

Once we have received and accepted your completed form you will be allocated a SWEDA box number which you will need to include on the outside of all your Pen-Pal letters. You will receive confirmation of your box number and the information you supplied about yourself will be placed in the SWEDA Bulletin and the Pen-Pal updates.

Replies will be sent on to you unopened. We would encourage you to reply to letter within a fortnight whenever possible.

To reply to your Pen-Pal, please put you letter in a blank, sealed and stamped envelope. On this envelope be sure to mark clearly TO: - your Pen-Pal's box number and FROM: - Your box number. Pop this in another envelope and send it on to SWEDA. We'll address it and send it on.

Disclaimer

SWEDA's role within the Pen-Pal scheme is to enable sufferers or carers to contact one another for the purposes of mutual support. The correspondence remains private at all times and is not viewed by SWEDA. Consequently any advice or opinions are those of the letter writer only and SWEDA cannot be held responsible or liable for anything contained within a Pen-Pal Letter or anything arising from it.

It is a condition of using the SWEDA Pen-Pal Scheme that you do not exchange addresses, phone numbers or anything else that would make you identifiable or directly contactable. If you do so you will be deemed to be operating outside of the SWEDA Pen-Pal Scheme.

You can contact SWEDA for information about eating disorders and the range of services offered (including: one-to-one support, self-help support and the telephone helpline) at :-

SWEDA’s telephone helpline, which is staffed by trained volunteers, many of whom have a personal experience of an eating disorder, can be reached on:-

01458 448600
an answerphone is available when the helpline is closed.


support@swedauk.org
Email support and MSN Messenger contact ID

SWEDA is a registered charity (No.1056441)
and a company limited by guarantee (No.3208772)