Emmerdale star and former anorexia sufferer Gemma Oaten returned to Hull to open a new eating disorder centre. Gemma, who plays Rachel Breckle in the soap, spoke frankly today about the lack of support services Hull had at the time she suffered from her illness.
She cut the ribbon to open Evolve Hull Eating Disorder Service's new base in Beverley Road at 1pm. The centre means adults suffering from eating disorders can be treated near home, rather than travelling to Sheffield, Leeds, or even London for treatment.
Gemma, 29, a former Malet Lambert pupil, said: "It all started when I was about 10 or 11 years old when I developed anorexia and our whole world was torn apart. We went to hell and back.
"I could write a book about the places I had to go to for treatment – it was horrendous at times. I was in psychiatric adolescent units. That is not a place for a young person to be when they have an eating disorder. You need to be treated very specifically."
It was Gemma's illness and recovery that inspired her parents, Dennis and Marg, to set up the eating disorder charity Seed, which joined forces with Evolve to realise the dream of opening a house in which to treat patients.
Previously, the service had been run out of the Octagon centre in Hull, but the new home has rooms specially designed to aid recovery. They include counselling rooms and a kitchen and dining area where visitors can prepare and eat healthy meals.
Service manager Nicky Guilfoyle said: "I'd had experience of working with people with eating disorders from 1995and in 2001/02 I became aware of Marg and Dennis. I realised I had allies to set up services in Hull."
At the ribbon cutting ceremony at the house in Beverley Road, Seed founder and Gemma's mum Marg became emotional talking about her family's experiences of anorexia.
She said: "When my daughter had an eating disorder, there was just no services whatsoever and it was a very difficult time. I'm so pleased Gemma has come a long long way and I'm so proud of her. She is now living her life and following her dreams, which is amazing."
The new treatment service is run by City Health Care Partnership CIC and is available to anyone aged 18 or older living in Hull. Anyone wishing to wishing to find out more can visit the Evolve website, or ask a GP for a referral.
