Edith Elliot Honour

Edith Elliot is member 001 of the British Dietetic Association. She has been a constant presence at BDA events and has always been particularly supportive of innovation and of new and emerging members of the profession.

The Edith Elliot Honour recognises a significant contribution for over five years, by members at any stage in their career and is open to any member (excluding students and apprentices).

Edith Eliot and Andrea Wilson
Andrea Wilson, BDA Honours Committee Chair (left) with Edith Elliot.

The honour recognises their contribution to the profession. This may be, but is not limited to, a contribution:

  • locally or regionally
  • in a specialist field of practice
  • in a diverse area of practice eg trade union, EDI, education, industry, freelance or research

Who is eligible for nomination?

The Edith Elliot Honour recognises an individual’s contribution to the dietetic profession which may be local; regional; in a specialist field of practice; or a diverse area of practice. Nominees will have been acknowledged for excellence in their sphere of work and their special contribution to the dietetic profession.

A member of the BDA in any category of membership (except student) at any stage in their career for a minimum of 5 years.

The nominee will have been recognised as making a significant contribution to the profession at local, regional, speciality level or in a diverse area of practice over and above what would be expected from their job role for a minimum of 5 years.

The individual will have:

  • Shown personal commitment and significant contribution for a minimum of 5 years
  • Given outstanding service to the dietetic profession and made an impact on the practice and/or delivery of dietetics

Areas of contribution could include, but are not limited to:

  • Improved service delivery that has benefited service users
  • Development of specialist skills that are innovative and have informed local service delivery in what could be a complex environment
  • Leading an innovative way of working and promoting the contribution of dietetics in a diverse setting
  • Creating and supporting a learning culture locally or regionally
  • Supporting professional workforce locally or regionally through initiatives such as inclusion and diversity
  • Interpreting and applying evidence to inform their practice locally or regionally for the benefit of service users
  • Facilitating involvement in research or creating a culture that supports research
  • Raising the profile of the profession through providing examples of local innovation that have been published and raised interest
  • Developing and evaluating educational resources (for example for students, people accessing services, etc.) and new methods of delivery
  • Contributing to and leading professional networks to promote the exchange of knowledge, skills and resources.
  • Trade union and industrial relations
  • Influencing, policy and strategy development
  • Advocacy and ambassadorial roles within and out with the profession

Nominations should ideally be made while the nominee is still active or at the most within 12 months of retiral or standing down from their job role.

The nomination process

Use this application form to submit nominations to the Honours Committee. This should be emailed to the Honours Committee [email protected] without informing the nominee.

  • Ensure that the nominee is eligible and meets the above criteria.
  • Nominations should be made by one full BDA member and supported by another member or professional colleague who works with, or has worked with the nominee or by a decision of a branch, group or committee of the association in general meeting. A lead nominator should be identified and contact details given.  
  • The individual concerned should not be approached. 
  • All nominations received will be acknowledged by the BDA to the lead nominator. 
  • The nomination will be screened for completeness. If necessary, clarification or amendment and resubmission will be sought at this point.
  • The formal acknowledgement to the lead nominator will inform them that they and the nominee will be notified directly if the nomination is successful; if the nomination is not successful the lead nominator will be informed. 
  • An example form can be downloaded here.
  • Download our guidance or read the information in the panels below.

Guidance for completing the proforma

Section 1

Basic information and contact details for the Nominee.

Basic information and details for Lead Nominator and one other nominator who is either a BDA member, or has Professional connection to the Nominee.

Alternatively, if the nomination has been proposed by a BDA Branch, Group or Board, please give details of when and where the decision was made and recorded and provide details for a Lead Nominator.

Section 2

We ask that you succinctly summarise the overarching reason for your nomination eg contributed to the Profession for x years in the capacity of x;  the impact of which is x.

There is a 50 word limit for this section.

Please note: We may quote or summarise these descriptions in our communications, social media updates and celebration events, should the nomination be successful.

Section 3

We ask for a summary of the nominee’s significant personal commitment, contribution and impact to the profession of dietetics over and above that which would be expected of their job role over a minimum of 5 years.

  • Why are they being nominated?
  • What is special about the nominee’s commitment and contribution?
  • How have they gone over and above what is expected in their role?
  • What impact have they made themselves to the profession?

There is a 500-word limit for this section.

Please note: We may quote or summarise these descriptions in our communications, social media updates and celebration events, should the nomination be successful.

Section 4

Provide evidence of how the nominee has actively promoted or made a consistent and sustained contribution to the profession and impact on service and/or the delivery of dietetics for a minimum of 5 years, giving dates.

This should be succinct, but thorough – you can use sentences or you may find it useful to use bullet points.

Section 5

In the table provide specific examples that focus on the individual's achievement and results of how the nominee’s contribution has had an impact on the profession.

This could include but is not be limited to:

  • Improved service delivery that has benefited service users
  • Development of specialist skills that are innovative and have informed local service delivery in what could be a complex environment
  • Leading an innovative way of working and promoting the contribution of dietetics in a diverse setting
  • Creating and supporting a learning culture locally or regionally
  • Supporting professional workforce locally or regionally through initiatives such as inclusion and diversity
  • Interpreting and applying evidence to inform their practice locally or regionally for the benefit of service users
  • Facilitating involvement in research or creating a culture that supports research
  • Raising the profile of the profession through providing examples of local innovation that have been published and raised interest
  • Developing and evaluating educational resources (for example for students, people accessing services, etc.) and new methods of delivery
  • Contributing to and leading professional networks to promote the exchange of knowledge, skills and resources
  • Trade union and industrial relations
  • Influencing, policy and strategy development
  • Advocacy and ambassadorial roles within and out with the profession

It is important to include evidence of the impact of the nominee’s activities and the difference they have made. This will help to identify that the nominee’s activities go over and above their usual job role and purpose.

In order to demonstrate impact, the following should be completed for each example of your nominee’s contribution. It is important to provide information as succinctly as possible and focus on what the specific individual contribution of the nominee in an area has been.

What has the nominee done that has significantly benefitted the BDA and the profession locally, regionally or at speciality level?

  • You might, for example, focus on what the nominee has done to influence and develop service for the benefit of service users or staff in their area of expertise
  • How have their actions improved practice in their area of expertise?
  • How have they raised the profile of the wider nutrition and dietetic workforce?

Explain why this was needed/is relevant?

Show why this was important; what gap this was filling?

Describe the impact this has had. What is different as a result?

Your information should address the ‘so what’ question. Be specific about how this has made a difference to the profession and/or service users; Specific dates ( month and year) facts and data are required to illustrate this. 

Please note: Only the information provided on the form can be taken into consideration by the Honours Committee.  If any additional documentation is submitted this will not be considered. Please provide all the necessary evidence to support the nomination on the nomination form.

If you have any questions about completing the nomination proforma please email [email protected]

Assessment of nominations

The BDA Honours Committee will consider all nominations using a standardised assessment based on the judging criteria in sections 2,3,4 and 5.

Each nomination is critically appraised by all members of the Honours committee.

  • If your nomination is considered to fit into a different category than you have indicated, then the Honours committee reserves the right to alter this (as agreed by the BDA board of Directors)
  • Do not submit more than one proforma per nominee. Should this occur, ALL forms will be considered null and void and returned.
  • If you are in any doubt then please contact the BDA office on 0121 200 8080 and ask for the Honours Committee Administrator before submitting.

The BDA Honours Committee will give recommendations to the BDA Board of Directors to take the final decision on conferring the Edith Elliot Honour.

The discussions will be confidential and no further correspondence will be entered into. Successful nominees will be informed by the Honorary Chairman and Chief Executive. 

The Edith Elliot Honour will be presented formally by the Honorary President and Chairman of the Association at a National BDA event such as the Awards Ceremony or the Annual General Meeting following which, a notice will appear in Dietetics Today.