Nearly 100 people attended the 2025 BDA Awards and Honours ceremony earlier today at Birmingham’s prestigious Council House. The event brought together the great and the good and was the perfect setting for an afternoon of celebrating and networking.
Chair of the BDA, Susan Price said, “Every year we recognise excellence in the science and practice of dietetics, celebrating the work of BDA members and the contributions that individuals make in promoting the BDA and the profession.
“Today we say thank you and celebrate amazing and innovative work across the profession and highlight our member volunteers.”
CEO, Liz Stockley added, “We are celebrating the incredible dedication of all our members—true champions of health and wellbeing. Your expertise, compassion, and commitment transform lives every day.
“Thank you for the essential work you do, often behind the scenes, to help people thrive. You are the heart of healthier communities, and we are deeply grateful. This awards ceremony is just a small way to say thank you for all you do.”
Let's take a look at the 2025 winners.
BDA Awards
Mary Turner Award (Trade Union Representative of the Year)
This award thanks a representative who has demonstrated the qualities of excellence and commitment.
2025 recipient - Abigail Dean
Abigail has been the lead BDA Trade Union Rep for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for a number of years, working within acute dietetics. Abigail is a shining example of what a local union rep should be, approachable, knowledgeable and able to listen. She is a worthy recipient of the Mary Turner Award this year.
Media Spokesperson of the Year
This award recognises a spokesperson who has gone above and beyond in their role, by tackling difficult or high-profile stories or through providing consistent high-quality support.
2025 recipient - Priya Tew
Runners up - Clare Thornton-Wood & Frankie Phillips
Priya is a highly valued member of our media spokespeople team. She is always willing to support with media requests, no matter how high profile or not, to ensure evidence-based information is shared. Priya is passionate about correcting misinformation both on social media and in her press work and is a true advocate for the BDA. We’re incredibly grateful for all she does to support us and dietetics as a whole.
Digital Innovation Award
The Digital Innovation Award recognises outstanding achievements in integrating technology into dietetic practice.
2025 recipient - Cloud-based software for smarter menu planning - Food Services House
Runner up - A novel digital triage in the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pathway, which reduces waiting lists and increases clinical capacity
Dorothy Hopwood Award
The Dorothy Hopwood Award for Professional Achievement recognises a member of the dietetic support workforce who has made a valuable and significant contribution to the profession.
2025 recipients - Shelley Hannon & Padma (Paru) Mistry
Outstanding Achiever Award
Sponsored by Yakult.
This award recognises a person who has had a significant impact on the profession throughout their career and has been working in the profession for ten years or more.
2025 recipient - Dr Sharon Huish
Runner up - Maureen Boyle
Rising Star Award
This award recognises a rising star who has been in dietetics for ten years or less and has had a significant impact on the profession in the early stages of their careers.
2025 recipient - Paula Chinchilla
Runner up - Idrees Anwar
Social Media Influencer
This award celebrates an individual or group that has been particularly influential on social media. It could be across a range of social media channels or just one, and could be a specific campaign or a range of activities.
2025 recipient - Lucy Upton - The Children's Dietitian
Runners up - Maeve Hanan & the BDA Paediatric Specialist Group (Instagram)
Chair of the Paediatric Specialist Group, Bahee Van de Bor said, "Congratulations to our fantastic Paediatric Specialist Group social media team on your well-deserved nomination for the BDA Social Media Influencer Award. Your hard work and commitment continue to raise awareness of paediatric dietetics in such a meaningful way. We are lucky to have such a dedicated, enthusiastic team representing our profession."
Student Champion
This award celebrates a student who has contributed over and above the requirements of their course to promote the dietetic profession.
2025 recipient - Dean Hargan (Cardiff)
Runner up - Katie Coult (Nottingham)
Volunteer Award
The BDA Volunteer of the Year award recognises an outstanding individual volunteer who has gone above and beyond for the profession and serves as an inspiration for others.
2025 recipient - Angeline Taylor
Runner up - Emma Gaskin
BDA Branch of the Year
The BDA recognises and highlights the fantastic work that volunteers do to promote and develop dietetics in their local area. The award was launched to thank volunteer members for their enthusiasm, commitment and time given to their branch. It is also a great opportunity for branches to celebrate all the fantastic work that they have achieved over the past 12 months.
2025 recipient - West Scotland Branch
Runner up - South West England Branch
The BDA's West Scotland Branch has been awarded Branch of the Year for their wide-reaching and varied support of members across the dietetic workforce – from academic to clinical and all levels of practice. With strong collaboration across the BDA and with the Scotland Board, they’ve delivered everything from awards and webinars to fantastic student engagement.
BDA Sub-Group of the Year
Introduced in 2024 the Sub-Group of the Year Award recognises the fantastic contribution of the BDA's sub-group communities. This award seeks to recognise member volunteers for their time, effort and support given to sub-group communities and the support provided to their corresponding specialist group.
2025 recipient - Prescribers Specialist Sub-Group
Runner up - ARFID Specialist Sub-Group
The Prescribers Specialist Sub-Group are being awarded for their outstanding work engaging members across all four nations and specialties. With strong collaboration, active involvement in the BDA prescribing campaign, and excellent research support through bursaries and symposium sessions, the Prescribers Specialist Sub-Group has had an amazing first year. Their webinars, collaboration with other groups and the BDA team, and support for members shows a commitment to supporting dietitians at every step of their prescribing journey.
BDA Specialist Group of the Year
The Specialist Group of the Year Award recognises and highlights the immense work that volunteer members give to BDA Specialist Groups in developing and supporting the profession. New to 2025, we are pleased to offer three awards under the banner Specialist Group of the Year Award.
Campaigning and influencing
2025 recipient - Women’s Health and Fertility Specialist Group
The group has worked hard to champion their specialty at every level. From the House of Lords to national consultations, NICE guidelines, and the latest Manual of Dietetic Practice, they’ve had a very productive year! Their influencing work has raised the profile of dietetics and strengthened member education in this important and emerging area of dietetics.
Membership engagement
2025 recipient - Paediatric Specialist Group
Runner up - Mental Health Specialist Group
The Paediatric Specialist Group is recognised for their proactive support of members, outstanding dedication to education, and innovative use of social media to promote the work of paediatric dietitians. Throughout the year the group has provided varied professional and personal development opportunities to their members, responding to their feedback and needs. By working closely with other specialist groups and the BDA team, they have shared their passion for paediatrics across the profession and beyond!
Projects and impact
2025 recipient - Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition Specialist Group
The Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Specialist Group are awarded for the outstanding PENG e-Pocket Guide, which is a sustainable project making a real impact on both dietitians and the planet! The group's strong engagement with students and new graduates has helped elevate the profile of dietetics, while impressive collaborations across specialist groups has highlighted the value of sharing knowledge and working together.
Runner up - Older People Specialist Group and Food Services Specialist Group
The Food Services and Older People Specialist Groups were shortlisted for their work on the Care Home Digest - a fantastic example of what can be achieved through collaboration. Jointly developed by both groups, with support from the NACC, this first-of-its-kind resource offers clear, practical guidance on menu planning and food service for care homes across all four nations. It supports dietitians, care home managers, nurses, carers, and catering staff in providing food and drink that meets residents’ nutritional and hydration needs. It’s such an important resource, and both groups worked incredibly hard to bring it to life. A huge thank you to the committees for your expertise, commitment, and teamwork in delivering this valuable resource, on top of everything else you do to support your specialist group members. We are proud to celebrate your contribution alongside today’s winners.
GET Awards
The General and Education Trust Fund has a long history of supporting the science and practice of dietetics through the promotion of national awards which recognise the excellent work carried out by many BDA members, from publishing original research work, through to innovation in practice and educational resources.
Dame Barbara Clayton Award
Given for recent or current work which promotes dietetic innovation and demonstrates benefits and positive outcomes for the profession and patients or clients.
2025 recipient - Krishna Kholia Parmar
Awarded for developing a dietetic led, multimodal prehabilitation service for haematology transplant patients.
Elizabeth Washington Award
Given for a dietitian’s published or presented educational work in the previous year, which is broadly within the discipline of nutrition and dietetics.
2025 recipient - Ro Huntriss
Awarded for a Fertility nutrition course for healthcare professionals.
Rose Simmonds Award
This is the BDA’s most prestigious award. It is given for a dietitian’s original research publication published in a peer reviewed journal during the previous two years.
2025 recipient - Natasha Schoeler
BDA Honours
The BDA Honours recognise and reward BDA members who go above and beyond, those who inspire others and are making a real difference.
Edith Elliot
The Edith Elliot Honour recognises a significant contribution for over five years by any member (excluding students and apprentices) to the profession locally, regionally, in a specific speciality or diverse area of practice.
2025 recipient - Michelle Wardrop
Michelle has been awarded the Edith Elliot Honour in recognition of her significant and sustained personal commitment and contribution to the profession locally and in Scotland.
Ibex
The Ibex is an Honour given to any member of the BDA (excluding students and apprentices) for over five years of significant contributions to the association and the profession either locally, regionally or in a specific speciality.
2025 recipient - Tanya Rumney
Tanya has worked tirelessly to grow the profession and provide new opportunities for dietitians. She has worked with the BDA to lead and champion the initial development and delivery of several new dietetic roles including Primary Care/First Contact and Advanced Practice, with professionalism and dynamism.
Professional Achievement
The Professional Achievement Honour is bestowed upon a member in recognition of over ten years of outstanding personal commitment and exceptional contributions to the profession of dietetics at a national or international level.
2025 recipient - Professor Miranda Lomer MBE
Miranda has been conferred with the Professional Achievement Honour, in recognition of for her outstanding personal commitment and achievements in the field of gastroenterology dietetics.
Fellowship
Fellowship is the BDA’s highest Honour. It is given in recognition of over 10 years of committed and inspirational service to the BDA and dietetic profession at a national or international level.
2025 recipients - Caroline Bovey BEM, Louise Sutton and Linda Hindle
Caroline has been awarded a BDA Fellowship, in recognition of her outstanding and sustained personal commitment as Chair of the BDA, former Chair of Bwrdd Cymru and the BDA Wales Employment Relations Committee. Her invaluable contributions to the BDA Trade Union were recognised and in 2015 she was awarded the Mary Turner Award.
Louise has been awarded a Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding and sustained personal commitment and contribution to the BDA and the profession in the field of sports nutrition.
Linda has been nominated by her peers and awarded a Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding and sustained personal commitment and contribution to the BDA and the profession for over 10 years in the field of obesity management and public health nutrition.
