The Colostomy Association has changed its name to Colostomy UK as part of a rebranding exercise.

Clare Matthews, marketing and communications manager at Colostomy UK, said the word “association” did not capture the charity’s wide range of activities, which include campaigning and running projects as well as offering advice and information to people living with stomas.

She said there was a trend among voluntary sector organisations to shed the word “association” from their names and replace it with “UK”.

Matthews said: “We wanted to get the message across that we are more than an association for patients. We also wanted to refresh our image and engage with more people, particularly younger ones.”

The charity decided to rebrand in December last year. Its new look went live on Saturday and coincided with an open day at the Reading-based organisation, which employs seven staff.

Creative companies in Reading were hired to provide the new logo and website, but all the other rebranding work was done in-house.

Matthews declined to say how much the exercise cost, but said: “The sum was minute compared with most rebrands.”