Asthma UK to text high-pollen warnings

Asthma UK is to send high pollen count SMS alerts to subscribing members of the British public this summer so people with asthma can prepare themselves for the increased risk of an attack.

The text service, to be delivered by marketing communications specialist Broadsystem, forms part of the charity's Asthma Trigger Tips campaign and will allow people to sign up for the free alerts through a link featured on the homepage of its website.

Broadsystem will host and manage the database of subscriber names and mobile numbers, and deliver the text alerts when the pollen count is predicted to be high.

New subscribers will be deduped against the master file and loaded overnight to receive the service.

Broadsystem will produce daily reports on the records loaded.

Over 5.2 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma, of which 1.1 million are children.

There is a person with asthma in one in five households in the UK.

Rachael Williams, Assistant Director of Individual Giving, said: "Asthma causes thousands of people severe distress on a daily basis.

"This groundbreaking text alert system forms a valuable part of Asthma UK's Asthma Trigger Tips initiative, which aims to enable people with asthma to know when they need to take extra care that will improve their lives.

"The alerts provide practical advice, and in doing so, reaffirm Asthma UK's activity to combat the effects of asthma.

"This is the first time we've deployed text messaging so we needed a specialist that we were confident could deliver.

"Having previously worked with Broadsystem we are confident in their ability".

Caroline Worboys, chief executive of Broadsystem, commented: "The hay fever season can be a dangerous and unpleasant time of year for people with asthma.

"The SMS campaign will make a real difference by making it possible for them to take preventative measures before the onset of a pollen-induced attack.".

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