We’re proud to be working with so many talented high-profile supporters, who are just as passionate about creating a world where diabetes can do no harm.
Our high-profile supporters help us in so many ways. They also champion us to a bigger audience, and help us spread the message of the seriousness of diabetes.
Music
Lee Latchford-Evans, a member of pop group Steps, was the face of our 1 Million Steps Challenge in 2018. He helped us inspire our supporters to take part and help us raise money.
Mike Rutherford, Genesis guitarist, and his wife have supported us for many years. They currently chair The Banting Circle, our exclusive giving club.
Gospel singer Annastasia Baker, whose daughter Nevaeh has type 1 diabetes, played a set at our Inspire awards in 2016. In 2017 Apache Indian, Handsworth’s hip-hop and bhangra crossover artist, performed for us.
Our other high profile supporters in Music who offer us amazing support include Melanie C, Alexandra Burke, Cara Dillon, Amelia Lily and Mari Wilson.
Sport
England rugby internationals, Chris Pennell and Henry Slade both have Type 1 diabetes and support us. Chris made us one of the charity beneficiaries of his testimonial year.
Yorkshire County Cricket all-rounder Jordan Thompson wore our logo on his bat for a year.
Tottenham Hotspur FC all-time great Gary Mabbutt MBE has supported us for over a decade including our recent Putting Feet First campaign. Other footballers that give us great support are Ben Coker, Scott Allan, Jack Muldoon as well as commentator James Fielden and Welsh futsal international Chris Bright.
Muhammad Ali is the first British boxer with type 1 to be given a pro licence and has helped us by telling us his story.
Other sports stars that have supported us through the years are Sir Steve Redgrave, pro golfer Hannah McCook, Robin Cousins, Alan Kernaghan, Tim Atkins, personal trainer and choreographer Steve Agyei and professional cyclist Sam Brand.
Food
Our Food You Love campaign that encourages healthy eating was backed by Jamie Oliver MBE, Prue Leith CBE, Cyrus Todiwala OBE and Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi who gave us exclusive recipes.
This Morning’s Phil Vickery wrote an award-winning cookbook all about type 2 diabetes. The Hairy Biker’s Si King has also contributed to our publications and took part in our 100 things I wish i'd known about diabetes book.
Rustie Lee, the celebrity television chef, has also lent us her voice for our food campaigns.
TV and radio
Alex Ritson, who has type 1 and Justin Webb, BBC reporters, both presented Best Circle events at our offices. While Dominic Littlewood, Iain Dale (who both have diabetes) and JP Devlin have all attended some of our events in support. We have also received support from television health experts including fitness and diet guru Rosemary Conley CBE and Dr. Hilary Jones.
We’ve also enjoyed support from actors across stage and screen including Elinor Crawley, Annette Badland, Cerith Flinn, Cheryl Fergison, Christopher Biggins, Blinded by the Light director Gurinder Chadha, Brian Cox CBE and the late Sir Roger Moore.
Comedy
Grumpy Old Men star Arthur Smith wrote a regular column in our quarterly member's magazine, Balance.
Colin Leggo helped us in our Putting Feet First campaign by opening up about his type 1 diagnosis and his subsequent amputation.
We’ve also had incredible support from Nina Wadia, who attended our 2019 Banting Circle event and Joe Pasquale who ran the London Marathon and sky-dived for us.
