BDA Honours and Awards

Check out our 2022 Awards gallery and round-up here.

The British Dietetic Association awards and prestigious honours recognise the outstanding contributions individuals make in promoting the BDA and advancing dietetics. We bestow these annually to our members who do so much for us.

GET Awards

The General 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. Awards include Rose Simmonds Award; Elizabeth Washington Award and Dame Barbara Clayton Award.

Chair’s Lifetime Achievement Award

The Chair’s Lifetime Achievement Award is in response to something the Chair wants to recognise personally and is distinct from the awards nominated by the profession. Awarded to individuals whose impact reaches far beyond the profession, consistently over many years, in some cases even after they have received their fellowship, who the Chair chooses to recognise specifically. Lifetime Achievement may not be awarded every year.

BDA Honours

It is so important to thank colleagues when they make a difference. The BDA Honours recognise and reward BDA members who go above and beyond, those who inspire others and are making a real difference.

If you know someone who has made a real impact on dietetics nominate them for a BDA Honour today!

The BDA Honours Committee considers nominations for the Ibex and Fellowship honours. Honours can be considered all year round.

To find out more about the Honours Committee, please click here

The Roll of Honour recognises and rewards BDA members who have gone above and beyond to make a significant contribution to a defined piece of work or activity in the past year. The Roll of Honour is awarded by the BDA Board of Directors throughout the year. Nominations can be received at any time of year.

The Ibex honour for Professional Achievement recognises individuals who have shown personal commitment and made significant contributions to the BDA and the dietetic profession, either locally or in a specific speciality, over at least 5 years.

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. Fellows have promoted the highest standards in the science and practice of dietetics and gained recognition as a leader, role model or mentor.

BDA Awards

BDA Awards celebrate outstanding individuals within the dietetic profession. In 2019 a number of new awards were developed to recognise a fuller range of dietetic achievement.

The awards are currently closed for applications further details will be announced in early 2023.

The Digital Innovation Award recognises outstanding achievements in integrating technology into dietetic practice.

This award recognises a dietetic support worker who has made a valuable and significant contribution to the profession.

This award for extraordinary circumstances celebrates members who go above and beyond to support the dietetic community in times of rapid change and disruption.

This award is to recognise one person who has created significant impact in the profession throughout their career and has been working in the profession for ten years or more.

This award is to recognise a rising star who has been in dietetics for ten years or less who has created significant impact in the profession in the early stages of their careers.

This award is to celebrate an individual or group who 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.

This award celebrates a student who has contributed over and above the requirements of their course to promote the dietetic profession.

This award is to recognise an outstanding contribution to the PEN® system throughout the year.

The following are awarded from our office to thank member volunteers who have made the most significant contribution to the way in which we represent our members and the profession.

With this award, our office thanks the ambassador who has made the most significant contribution to the way in which we represent our members and the profession.

This award thanks one representative who has demonstrated the qualities of excellence and commitment.

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.

Each year the BDA says thank you to one group which has demonstrated why it should be regarded 'Specialist Group of the Year'.

The BDA recognises one branch which has typified excellence and best practice each year.

Click here to view past award winners.

Previous Winners

BDA Specialist Group of the Year

2022 - Joint Winners - Oncology and Renal Nutrition Specialist Group
2021 - Obesity Specialist Group
2020 - Joint winners Critical Care Specialist Group and Paediatric Specialist Group
2019 - Diabetes Specialist Group
2018 - Oncology Specialist Group
2017 - Freelance Specialist Group
2016 - Renal Nutrition Specialist Group
2015 - Critical Care Specialist Group (Dietitians in Critical Care)
2014 - Older People Specialist Group (NAGE - Nutrition Advisory Group for Older People)

BDA Branch of the Year

2022 - South East England
2021 - Glasgow & West Scotland Branch
2020 - Glasgow & West Scotland Branch
2019 - Yorkshire Branch
2018 - East Scotland Branch
2017 - Yorkshire Branch
2016 - South West England Branch
2015 - Glasgow & West Scotland Branch
2014 - London Branch

BDA Media Spokesperson of the Year

2022 - Joint Winners - Bahee Van De Bor & Marcela Fiuza
2021 - Dr Duane Mellor
2020 - Aisling Pigott
2019 - Clare Thornton-Wood
2018 - Linia Patel
2017 - Anna Daniels
2016 - Abigail Wilson
2015 - Priya Tew
2014 - Sioned Quirke

BDA Ambassador of the Year

2022 - Not awarded
2021 - Jill Stewart
2020 - Dr Hilda Mulrooney
2019 - Ursula Arens
2018 - Dr Megan Whelan
2017 - Alison Smith
2016 - Anne Donolan
2015 - Alison Nelson
2014 - Rhiannon Williams

The Mary Turner Award

for BDA Trade Union Representative of the Year

2022 - Christine Christie
2021 - Katrina Evans
2020 - Awarded jointly to Diana Markham and Suzanne Wong
2019 - Awarded jointly to Hazel Cheung and Susan Walsh
2018 - Victoria Gray
2017 - Alison Campbell
2016 - Bronagh Kelly
2015 - Clare Jones
2014 - Alison Green

Extraordinary Circumstances Award

2022 - COVID-19 Pandemic Response - Nutrition & Clinical Dietetics - NHS Fife
2021 - COVID-19 Pandemic Response - BDA Critical Care Specialist Group

Outstanding Achiever Award

2022 - Tanya Haffner
2021 - Chris Cheyette

Social Media Influencer of the Year

2022 - Ro Huntriss
2021- Jointly awarded to: NHS Fife - Nutrition & Dietetic Department and Nutribytes Ltd

Dorothy Hopwood Award

2022 - Not awarded
2021 - Julie Mason

Digital Innovation Award

2022 - Dietitians are Digital - NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC)
2021 - Implementing a Digital Healthy Weight and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Management Service in Argyll and Bute HSCP (Submitted by Jessica May Fletcher and Jackie Barron)
2020 - Professor Kevin Whelan for FODMAP by FM

Student Champion Award

2022 - Marta Buczkowska from Newcastle University
2021 - Linsey Cockburn
2020 - Elaine Penman from Glasgow Caledonian University

Rising Star Award

2022 - Laura Caley
2021 - Dr Eirini Dimidi
2020 - Dr Sammie Gill

BDA PEN® Achiever Award

2020 - Sue Acreman

Honours

Fellowship

2022 - Dr Elizabeth Weekes, Fiona Huffer & Dr Julie Langian
2021 - Maxine Cartz, Fiona Moor, Alison Smith
2020 - Kate Hall and Sian Porter
2018 - Francesca Annan, June Copeman and Dr Fiona McCullough
2017 - Professor Kevin Whelan
2016 - Anne Holdoway, Mary O'Kane, Sian O'Shea, Dr Clare Shaw and Carina Venter
2015 - Marjory Macleod and Sue Kellie

Ibex

2022 - Gillian Regan, Janie Gordon, Lauren Bowen, Ruth Wood-Martin
2021 - Anna Julian, Karen Ward, Rhys White
2020 - Melanie Baker, Sue Brierley-Hobson, Elaine Gardner, Chris Jarvis, Dr Jacklyn Jones, Sue Perry, Pete Turner, Maria Tynan
2019 - Carole-Anne Fleming, Frances Hanson and Sian Lewis
2018 - Lisa Cooke, Alison Culkin, Kirstine Farrar, Stuart Galloway, Helen Ream, Laura Stewart and Lynne Thomas
2017 - Marion Harvey, Julie Royal and Jennifer McBratney
2016 - Mandy Gilmore, Nicola Henderson, Ailsa Kennedy, Pamela McIntosh, Najia Qureshi, Dr Sara Smith, Ella Segaran and Louise Sutton
2015 - Anne Holdoway, Anne Lamb and Sian Porter
2014 - Debbie Provan and Candice Ward

Chair's Lifetime Achievement Award

A brand-new award. The award is presented at the discretion of the Chair to honour an individual who has spent the vast majority of their career promoting the profession, having had a major and enduring contribution.

Carole Middleton, Dr Joan Gandy and Andy Burman

Honorary Associateship

2018 - Graeme Copestake
2015 - Dr Trevor Brown
2014 - Dr Sumantra Ray

Mary Turner Honour

Presented in 2015 to Caroline Bovey to honour the BDA Past President Mary Turner