Goal 17 and The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation
Mar 02, 2026
Our 2026 is off to a great start at Goal 17! We’re thrilled to announce a new project in partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF). NARF is appointing inspiring young people with food allergies to be ambassadors, helping spread awareness of the challenges of living with food allergies as well as new research that can change lives. We’ll be training volunteers to mentor these youngsters as they learn and grow into the role.
The Foundation’s mission is to bring about positive change around food allergies by focusing on medical research, laws and policies, education and raising awareness. They want to ensure the needs of people living with food allergies are met in a meaningful way and to offer real hope that will actively change the lives of all those living with this life-threatening condition.
This partnership is particularly close to our hearts. Several members of the Goal 17 team live with life-threatening food allergies themselves, so the importance of this work is deeply personal as well as professional.
The story of how this programme came to be is also a reminder of the power of sharing opportunities. Our CEO, Francesca Salussolia, became aware of upcoming Health Lottery funding and shared the opportunity on LinkedIn, encouraging organisations to apply. Hannah Stevenson, Research and Education Manager at NARF, saw Fran’s post and reached out to find out more.
With extensive experience of securing funding for impact-driven projects, Goal 17 then supported Hannah and the NARF team to shape and submit their bid. We were thrilled to hear that the application was successful – and even more delighted when NARF came back to ask Goal 17 to partner with them on delivering the new programme.
“This partnership brings together everything we care about at Goal 17 – young people, lived experience, and creating safe, supportive relationships that help individuals step into their potential. Allergies affect so many families, including members of our own team, so working alongside NARF on this programme feels especially important.” - Francesca Salussolia, CEO - Goal 17
"We chose to create this programme because we believe deeply in the power of youth voice. Young people living with food allergies are experts in their own experiences; they understand the daily challenges, the social pressures, and the resilience it takes to navigate the world safely.
"By partnering with Goal 17, we can offer Youth Ambassadors not just a title, but a safe space, meaningful support and a platform. Together, we’re providing the space for them to design their own campaigns, speak up with confidence and make noise about what it means to live with food allergies. This is about empowering young people to support others who share their experience, while also educating allies across schools, workplaces and the wider community. We believe when young voices are heard, real change follows.” - Hannah Stevenson, Research and Education Manager - NARF
We’re just getting started with this great new project and we can’t wait to share more soon. If you’re interested in volunteering and have lived experience of allergies, this could be the perfect role for you – watch this space.