The eating disorders charity Beat estimate that 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder. For the past decade of my life, I’ve been one of them. After 10 years of struggle with anorexia, I’m now in recovery at the age of 33 and have broken my silence on my illness. I want to use my experience of fighting anorexia to reach out to and encourage others who are struggling and suffering in silence with their eating disorder, especially adults and the older people whose struggle is even less known and understood.

So where do the socks come in…?

From 4 February to 4 March 2018 ending at the close of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I will be wearing my jazziest, wackiest, brightest and coolest socks in 125 different places in my home city of London, in recognition of the 1.25 million people facing the every second of every day torment that eating disorders cause.

Eating disorders are with the sufferer everywhere they go. I took anorexia all over the country and the world with me for a decade. But now in my recovery, I want to show that I can, and we all can, sock it eating disorders in every single place!

Hannah’s Sock It Tour of London

I will be posting my ‘Sock It’ tour of London on Instagram @hannabeatsana – beating eating disorders in both the famous and the everyday places. 

Please do join me and post your own ‘Sock It’ tour photos too!

I’m asking everyone who cares about this cause, everyone who follows my tour, and just about everyone I can :-) to donate whatever they can spare to my campaign. All proceeds will go to Beat to help them continue their awesome support and campaigning work.

And what does your money do?

Beat run a much needed helpline and online support groups for people suffering from eating disorders of all types. Beat recognises that eating disorders can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, and ethnic and social background and works to combat the stereotypes and stigma that surround these illnesses.

Beat also campaigns to improve access to treatment. I know through my own struggle how long it takes to get help, and 41% of sufferers wait more than 6 months for diagnosis and treatment. Beat are currently campaigning for the introduction of a waiting time target for adults to match the 4 week target for all people under 19 by 2020..

Eating disorders leave people with serious physical and psychological problems, and often with long-term impacts. Please help me and Beat to sock it to them!