A campaign being launched in the island’s schools is aiming to teach children about the dangers of allergies.

The Just Ask campaign is organised by Douglas mother Jules Sum, whose three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Lucie, has many allergies.

’We discovered this when she was about 12 weeks old,’ Jules said.

’She has allergies to wheat, fish, dairy and coconut, so we have tried to remove all of them,’ she said.

’But I wondered how we could make sure she was safe once she was at school, not to mention all the other children who might be affected too.’

Global statistics suggest that as many as one in every 13 children has a food allergy and that one in eight children have asthma.

The timing of the campaign is appropriate with the food shop chain Pret a Manger hitting the headlines when a customer died from an allergic reactions after eating their sandwich.

The programme is for children aged two to 12 and is structured on three key areas which form the acronym ask: allergies, safety and knowledge.

Fronting the campaign is a cartoon character called Arthur, the allergy aardvark.

Campaign materials include digital learning slides, quizzes, colouring sheets and allergy phonic printouts - free to nurseries, pre-schools and primary schools. In addition, a free App with the campaign material launches at the end of the month with the campaign launch.

For more information and to sign up see the IOM Allergy and Anaphylaxis Isle of Man Support Facebook page or Lucie’s Lunchbox Adventures on Instagram.

Alternatively send an email to [email protected]