With her own 90th birthday on the horizon, there was no one better to speak to as we celebrate 90 years of the British Dietetic Association.
Edith Elliott is a true stalwart of the BDA. Over the years, she has held many positions on boards and councils, most notably serving as Chair in 1985-87.
There is little Edith doesn’t know about the BDA. She even took on the unenviable job of archiving our history some years ago, a collection that now sits at the Wellcome Trust.
In this special Chair to Chair conversation, Susan Price speaks to Edith about our history and how, while practices and technologies may have changed dramatically over the years, one thing remains at the heart of dietetics – patient care.
As Edith says, “We may be small in number, but we’re not small in patient care.
“It doesn't matter if it's ten patients or 100. For those ten, it is seriously important.
“You can't expect everybody to want the same advice or, worse still, give everybody all advice. We keep it simple, but also make it relevant to the individual. And, if that helps that individual, I think that my life will have been worthwhile for that minute.”
At head office Edith is affectionately known as member number one, although, as she explains in this video, that’s not entirely correct!
Edith was Chair when our electronic records began, and a chance visit to the office meant she was first in line for being added to the list, despite there being several hundreds of members already.
We might not be able to have favourites, but she remains our member number one! Edith is someone who has shown up for the profession year after year, with an unwavering commitment to dietetics and the people it serves.
And, if you’ve ever had the privilege of sitting down for a conversation with her, you’ll know she’s not only a wonderful source of knowledge and history, but an absolute joy to be around. We extend our thanks to Edith for all she has done.