Tag Archives: CWT Awards

News

Wanted: Trustee with Event Experience

The Caroline Walker Trust is growing rapidly and aims to achieve its strategic objectives with high profile events within the next 18 months.

Consequently, we are expanding our Board of Trustees to meet our objectives and are looking for someone with event experience to join the board.  The candidate must be available to attend 4 – 6 board meetings per year and the occasional ad-hoc committee meetings.  They will act in good faith to carry out the duties of the Trust in accordance with the objects and be accountable to their fellow trustees on the Board of Trustees.  

Minimum Time Commitment:
  • Trustees are expected to attend all board meetings. Board meetings are held 4 – 6 times a year after regular office hours.  Board meetings last for approximately two hours.
  • Meeting dates are arranged two to four months in advance.
  • Trustees may be asked to join the following committees: Event Committee, along with acting as an advisor for the Strategy Committee and World’s Healthiest Afternoon Tea Committee.
  • Trustees can claim out of pocket expenses incurred in travelling to meetings.
The role of a Caroline Walker Trustee includes;
  • Promoting and administering the charitable object above by the specific powers outlined in the Trust’s governing document.
  • Assessing the changing environment and approve the organisation’s strategic direction.
  • Contributing actively to the Board of Trustees by giving firm strategic direction to the CWT, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
  • Appoving major policies, major actions of the organisation such as capital expenditure and major changes in activities and services.
  • Each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve leading discussions, identifying key issues, providing advice and guiding new initiatives, evaluating or offering advice on other areas, such as finance, marketing, law or public relations in which the trustee has particular expertise.
In the case of a person with Event Expertise, the Trustee is also expected to;
  • Take responsibility of the CWT flagship annual events (Lecture Series and Annual Awards), reporting to the CWT Board on progress, as Chair of the Annual Awards and Lecture Series events sub-committee.
  • To work with others (volunteers, staff and other trustees) as part of a sub-committee to support the delivery of the Annual Awards and Lecture Series.
  • To work with the Treasurer to provide a budget for each event.
  • To provide market intelligence to the CWT board to enable all Trustees to engage in evidence-based decisions on the running of the CWT annual events.
  • To ensure the promotion of the CWT annual events, including on-line copy, press-releases and liaison with external partners organisations.
  • To liaise with external venues and speakers for events.
  • To work closely with CWT Trustee responsible for the business relationships and corporate sponsorship.
  • Ensure event and sponsorship products are consistent with the Trust’s strategic objectives, partnership aims, and support in maximising opportunities for any cross-promotion of the event, sponsorship and partnership programmes.
Person Specification
  • A commitment to the objectives and aims to the CWT,
  • A willingness to attend board meetings and committee meetings,
  • Integrity and strategic foresight,
  • Good, independent judgement without conflict of interest or self-interest,
  • A willingness to speak your mind and to challenge any information put forward,
  • Provide candid and constructive criticism, advice, comments and praise,
  • An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship,
  • An ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to make collective decisions for the good of the Trust, and
  • Previous Board experience.
In addition to the above, we are seeking someone with
  • Knowledge of the health professional, charity and/or academic sectors.
  • Experience of planning and running high quality, high profile lectures, fundraising events and award receptions.
  • Experience in undertaking market research and working on event budgets.
  • Interpersonal skills to influence and negotiate across teams and externally.
  • A practical approach and a proven ability to work well with limited resources would be an advantage.
  • Membership of the Institute of Fundraising, Chartered Institute of Marketing, or a member of a relevant professional body.
If you feel you can contribute as a Trustee to The Caroline Walker Trust’s objectives, then please apply with a covering note and CV to [email protected]

 

 

 

News

StreetCube Steps Up To ‘The Social Distancing Sustainable Organic Market’ Plate

The StreetCube Great Organic Sustainable Market opens to the public on Friday, July 3rd at 10 am and is located on The Piazza, at SouthSide, Wandsworth High Street. SW18 4TQ.

StreetCube is the sustainable Street gastronomy project launched by MasterChef Raymond Blanc in SW London last year and CWT short-listed award finalists.  It is advancing its quest to help change the future of food, nutrition and community empowerment by bringing the first and the biggest outdoor organic, sustainable food market to London.

On the familiar site where the project was first launched, at The Piazza, at SouthSide, Wandsworth High Street, the Streetcube team have had support and approval by their forward-thinking landlords LandSec to invite some of the Nations most ethical farmers and organic food producers to join them.

“We want to show London that in order to preserve and sustain the health of people and planet, we must fundamentally change our food systems from a global, broken industrial one, to a more organic, more local and more seasonal food system,” explains Pascal Gerrard, Founder of Streetcube.  “Our supermarkets and City Centre eateries have been largely reliant on a chemical farming system, plastic-wrapped food and junk food chains that import unsustainable ingredients from around the globe, none of which are paying any attention to good health or to the environment.”

“It’s time for a change!” exclaims Pascal.  “We need to move to a more regenerative, nutritious, sustainable food system with chefs and farmers guiding the way to using more local, seasonal, organic produce” explains Pascal.  “Our soil is one of the most critically important elements in the overall health of us all and it is by far one of the biggest carbon sinks we have.  Whatsmore, our farmers need help and support to grow better, more nutritious food and to work with our chefs to help reduce our impact on the planet”

The StreetCube project has received much positive attention and wide acclaim since its launch a year ago, including nominations for innovation and being short-listed for the ‘Food Hero of the Year’ award from The Caroline Walker Trust.

“We continue to refer to the advocates for support and expert advice and guidance. We get a lot of fact-based science data from our world-renowned experts for climate change, sustainability and nutrition, we publish it all on our website.”

“I don’t profess to know everything there is to know about sustainability, in fact, most of us are still getting to grips with it, but given that the Covid-19 pandemic could potentially be a result of our poor hygiene standards, lack of consideration for nature, and the rising risks of zoonotic diseases, we absolutely must radically change our food systems,” suggests Pascal

“The Great Sustainable Organic Market is being billed as London’s most significant in terms of its carbon negative impact and its focus on planetary and public health and we are inviting the UK’s finest organic growers, from across the entire U.K. – farmers, producers and even local volunteers.  We want StreetCube to play a significant part in leading the way towards sustainable food – many local communities need to help drive community food growing and to form partnerships with land-owners to grow more food so that our chefs can translate the local nutrition into delicious sustainable Street Gastronomy – but our farmers and our organic growers play a very important part in the overall system. Without good, healthy soil, we just can’t nourish our children.”

“Research shows that more than 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from our industrial global food system, with deforestation due to beef production being the worst culprits. Transporting out of season food thousands of miles around the globe is also very heavy on CO2 and lower rates of nutrition as often food is picked before its ripe, and then it is force-ripened using chemicals and gas. The result is of much poorer quality food.”

Streetcube in Wandsworth

The new outdoor market will feature farmers bringing organic, seasonal produce grown from within 100 miles of the StreetCube installation, which do not use plastic wrapping, and which contain higher nutrients due to less storage, with no risk to ingesting the cocktail of chemicals found on most fruit and veg. “Traditionally, we produce and consume less than 2% organic food in the U.K., and studies show that most of the food we import is coated with at least a dozen different chemicals. Whilst individual chemicals like Glyphosate are banned across Europe, the U.K. still allows the use of it. Manufacturers of these insect-killing chemicals are tested individually and deemed ‘safe’ for humans, but many law-suits in the US have swayed on the sides of farmers who have contracted cancer and other related illnesses.” states Pascal.

“We also need to be very aware of the kinds of ‘deals’ our government are negotiating with US produce. The United States has much lower food standards than we do here in the U.K. we must all be very aware of what our government are trying to push through Parliament without us realising. Chlorinated chicken, hormone-injected beef, genetically modified organisms are all part of an extremely detrimental industrial food system, and we all need to be very aware of what is around the corner in terms of climate change”, warns Pascal.

‘We are over-subscribed at the Wandsworth Sustainable Organic Market, a combination of pent-up demand and people longing to have access to better quality food, but we need more organic growers from the local area to apply and join us as we will soon be opening every day” states Pascal

StreetCube is all about giving everyone access to a more sustainable source of nutritious food, that everyone can afford – whilst caring for the health of people and planet. As we say at StreetCube;

“Good Food Doesn’t Have To Cost The Earth.”

The StreetCube Great Organic Sustainable Market opens to the public on Friday, July 3rd at 10 am,

and is located on The Piazza, at SouthSide, Wandsworth High Street. SW18 4TQ

News

An Interview with the CWT Nutritionist of the Year 2019

Greg Lessons, Registered Nutritionist, was awarded the title of ‘CWT Nutritionist of the Year 2019’ at last year’s CWT 30th Anniversary and Awards Reception for his outstanding and distinctive work in the UK Fire Services and academic achievements.  At the time of the award, the judging panel found Greg had displayed precisely the qualities they were looking for in the next generation of inspiring nutritionists.   He had demonstrated courage in challenging the status quo, a significant & groundbreaking achievement of high potential and a passion for forging new pathways to further public health through improved nutrition awareness and quality of food.  The judges were unanimous.

Greg’s career started as a firefighter; however, after 17 years’ service, Greg began to notice the rising levels of poor health amongst his colleagues, namely heart disease, obesity and diabetes.  He decided to embark on a new vocation, and after completing his MSc in Human Nutrition, Greg pioneered the Fire Service’s nutrition programme.

His multi-component intervention involved face to face dietary, physical activity and lifestyle education programme, along with addressing the obesogenic environmental factors. His pilot trial lowered BMI, body fat percentage, energy intake and waist circumferences, thus reducing fire fighter’s risk of chronic disease within a month.   His research was published in the proceedings of the Nutrition Society, and he was announced as the winner of ‘Best Original Communication’ at the Nutrition Society 2017 Winter conference.

Greg has persisted with his studies and is now undertaking a PhD while providing part-time lecturing at London Metropolitan University.  However, he continues to lead the emergency services in improving nutrition and subsequent health of the workforce.  His latest activities also involve being a Nutritionist Ambassador for the UK Emergency Services Games. http://www.ukesg.uk/

Since winning the CWT Nutritionist of the Year award, Greg has been on BBC news, featured in Men’s Fitness magazine, NHD Network Health Digest, Personnel Today – Occupational Health & Wellbeing, Public Sector Catering, Emergency Service Times and received a fellowship at the Nutrition Society, and is now sitting on their strategic communications committee.

We caught up with Greg to see how he found life after receiving the Nutritionist of the Year 2019 award.  Here’s what he had to say…

How did you feel when you were awarded the Nutritionist of the Year 2019?
The great honour of being awarded ‘Nutritionist of the year 2019’ by the Caroline Walker Trust as it brings a certain level of validation to the work I have been engaged in over the last two years.

Have you found your role as a Nutritionist in a new environment a comfortable journey?
Far from being a smooth ride, there have been tough challenges along the way which have tested my fortitude and resolve from the very beginning. Getting the fire station nutrition programme off the ground involved a lengthy campaign with several setbacks.

What did you find was your biggest challenge being a Nutritionist?
Once approved to test its feasibility and efficacy on a grander scale, the daunting prospect of starting something completely new and leaving the familiarity of a role I had performed for the vast majority of my working life was itself a challenge. Added to that was the unknown quantity of how I would be received by my peers in a context which could be seen as ‘telling them what to eat and how to live’.

How did you overcome these challenges?
Every day I had to do battle with these fears to stand up in front of teams of firefighters to nervously (at the beginning) deliver my dietary intervention. Every day I had to overcome scepticism and suspicion before I could even begin to attempt changing dietary behaviours for the better. My fortitude, resilience and resourcefulness have truly been tested like never before, and it has changed me as a person. Imposter syndrome rears its head on a fairly regular basis, and I have had to adapt from working in a team to working alone, taking full responsibility for nutrition in my organisation.

 What is the most rewarding part of your role as a Nutritionist?
The knowledge that I’m helping people is rewarding, as is seeing markers for health improvement. The gratitude expressed from firefighters is also a huge boost and fuels me to keep going when the workload piles up.

What have you gained from the award ‘Nutritionist of the Year’?
The recognition from a well-respected nutrition organisation bestowing me with such a great honour has really inspired me to take my programme to the next level. It has instilled untold confidence and also supports the programme’s progression, which at times feels somewhat precarious.

What are the benefits of being recognised by CWT as an inspirational Nutritionist?
It has garnered both internal and external interest, from fire brigade personnel congratulating me, to media agencies approaching me for interviews. I welcome all of this attention with open arms, not to boost my ego, but to boost the profile of my programme and to highlight the importance of nutritionists in workplace settings. I cannot thank the Caroline Walker Trust enough for their incredible support.

We also asked about Greg’s typical day in the life as a trail-blazing Nutritionist.  Here is his average day’s schedule of events.  It’s impressively dedicated and hard-working.

 A day in my professional life
Wake up at 06:00 – head to the gym (You have to look the part).
08:00 – start work by checking email and dealing with admin.
09:45 – pack the car with anthropometric equipment and educational aids.
10:30 – arrive at the fire station, introduce myself and hastily attempt to allay personnel’s preconceived fears of my agenda.
11:00 – deliver interactive PowerPoint presentation to the watch on ‘Nutrition and Health’.
11:30 – hand out dietary assessment forms and hope they fill them out (99% of the time they do).
11:35 – I set up my personalised nutrition clinic in an appropriate room in the fire station. It comprises a body composition analyser, a height measurer, tape measure, laptop and visual aids.
11:45 – I see the first of anywhere between 8 and 20 firefighters for a personalised nutrition session.
16:30 – pack up equipment and drive back to my base where I’ll finish the day with more admin. This can include: scheduling appointments and stations to receive my intervention; creating nutrition educational materials for the LFB wellbeing intranet portal; writing reports to justify my mere existence; creating PowerPoint presentations; dealing with requests to attend various team meetings to deliver nutrition input to fire brigade support departments (I’ll have to do most of this in my own time tonight). (Note the absence of a lunch break!).
23:00 – close the laptop, go to bed and reflect upon some of the amazing people I met and the enriching interactions I was lucky enough to be part of. That’s the best bit of my job.

 

 

 

News

The Caroline Walker Trust Announce Award Winners

The winners of The Caroline Walker Trust Awards 2019 were announced at a special presentation ceremony held on Tuesday evening, 12th November, at Chandos House, Royal Society of Medicine in London.

The Caroline Walker Trust Awards were “intended to highlight distinctive and outstanding work in promoting public health by maintaining and advancing standards of food and nutrition.  Traditionally the Caroline Walker Trust only offered four awards; however, over the years, these have changed to reflect the dynamic environment in which the Trust operates.” Anka Johnston, Chair of CWT. This year, the trust offered six awards, which also included a Lifetime Achievement award, Food Hero of the Year, Media Campaigner of the Year and Charity Food Campaigner of the Year.

CWT would like to congratulate all the winners and runners-up of the CWT Awards 2019.

Below are the award winners and runners-up for each category:

Charity Food Campaigner of the Year

Winner: City Harvest
Runner-up: One Feeds Two

Laura Winningham, CEO at City Harvest:
“City Harvest was extremely proud to join leaders in the field of food and public health at the 30th Anniversary Caroline Walker celebration and thrilled to receive an award for our work as a Charity Campaigner. We believe everyone is entitled to affordable, nourishing food and City Harvest have delivered healthy surplus food for more than 7 million meals to more than 300 charity partners serving vulnerable Londoners.”

Food Hero of the Year

Winner: Jason O’Rourke
Runner-up: Nutrition Scotland

Jason O’Rourke, Headteacher at Washingborough Academy:
“It was such an honour to be awarded the Caroline Walker Trust ‘Food Hero of The Year’ award in recognition of the Food Education work that we have developed at Washingborough Academy and also with the TastEd charity. Teaching children the skills and knowledge about the food that they eat and how their informed choices can have such an important effect on their future health and well-being is a vitally important area of any child’s education. Schools can have such a positive impact on children’s relationship with food and I would hope that this award inspires more schools to include Food Education into their curriculum.”

Media Food Campaigner of the Year

Winner: Sabine Goodwin
Runner-up: Early Start Nutrition

Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator at Independent Food Aid Network:
“I am very honoured indeed to be the winner of the CWT Media Campaigner of the Year Award. I’m grateful for the recognition of my work to raise awareness of the significance of independent food aid providers as well as the scale of growing food insecurity in the UK. Caroline Walker was an inspiring campaigner who cared passionately about the health implications of living in poverty. She would certainly have been appalled to find that millions of people in the UK are unable to afford to buy food let alone healthy and nutritious food.”

Nutritionist of the Year

Winner: Greg Lessons
Runner-up: Barbara Bray, MBE

Greg Lessons, Nutritionist at London Fire Brigade:
“I can’t thank the CWT enough for this incredible honour in recognition of my work for the London Fire Brigade. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way.”

Freelance Nutritionist of the Year

Winner: Laura Wyness
Runner-up: Shaleen Meelu

Laura Wyness, Freelance Registered Nutritionist based in Edinburgh:
“I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award from The Caroline Walker Trust.  The work and impact Caroline Walker made to public health nutrition has been very motivating for me in my nutrition career and I have found the resources produced by the Trust really useful in my work.  It is great to be recognised as a freelance nutritionist promoting the science behind healthy food and diets.”

The Caroline Walker Trust Lifetime Achievement Award

Professor Philip James

A special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Philip James who has supported the CWT since its inception and has made outstanding contributions to the nation’s food and health.

–ends—

Notes to the Editor

  1. For information on the background to the awards and how the result was arrived see: https://www.cwt.org.uk/cwt-announce-awards-short-list/
  2. The Caroline Walker Trust was founded in 1989 after the death of the distinguished nutritionist, writer and campaigner Caroline Walker. Established to continue her work and in her spirit, the CWT works tirelessly to promote the improvement of public health through good food. The work of CWT is particularly targeted towards vulnerable groups and people who need special help.
  1. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Trust and the theme for the evening is Affordable food: Affordable health. The speakers included Felicity Lawrence, Guardian Journalist; Peter Stefanovic, Social Injustice Campaigner and distinguished Lawyer; and Dan Crossley, Executive Director at the Food Ethics Council.
  1. The Caroline Walker Trust Logo:

  1. The Nutritionist of the Year award has been sponsored by the Nutrition Society nutritionsociety.org and the Association for Nutrition www.associationfornutrition.org
  2. The Nutrition Society of the UK and Ireland was established in 1941 and is one of the largest learned societies for nutrition in the world. With over 2,600 members internationally, the Society is dedicated to delivering its mission of advancing the scientific study of nutrition and its application to animal and human health. The Society disseminates and promotes nutrition science through its six journals and six textbooks, in addition to regularly organising CPD endorsed conferences and webinars. Working with universities, parliamentarians, industry representatives, academic researchers, and other membership organisations, the Society aims to create opportunities for building relationships that strengthen research and collaboration within the field. Membership is open to any individual with an interest in nutritional science.
  3. The Freelance Nutritionist of the Year award has been sponsored by SENSE and the Nutrition Society nutritionsociety.org                     
  4. SENSE is the original unique network for professional self-employed Registered Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians. It exists to provide members with professional development, support and advice. Founded in 1996 by Dr Margaret Ashwell as  ‘Self Employed Nutritionists’  Support and Enlightenment’. SENSE now has more than 70 members and a flourishing CPD programme of twice-yearly meetings. http://www.sense-nutrition.org.uk   
  5. The Association for Nutrition (AfN) holds the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN), a register of competent, qualified nutrition professionals who meet our rigorously applied standards for scientifically sound evidence-based nutrition and its use in practice.  The UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists is the only register of qualified nutritionists recognised by Public Health England, NHS Choices and NHS Careers                                                                                                     
  6. City Harvest has rescued over 7 million meals, collecting and delivering 80,000 meals a week from supermarkets, wholesale markets, manufacturers and the hospitality industry. Their trademark fleet of temperature-controlled vans delivers to over 300 London community programmes, including homeless shelters, mental health community projects, family centres, children’s’ programmes, and domestic abuse refuges. http://www.cityharvest.org.uk/
  1. Jason O’Rourke is the Headteacher at Washingborough Academy, Lincolnshire and the Founder of TastEd. Jason’s work with Washingborough Academy featured extensively in the Government’s 2016 Childhood Obesity Strategy and Plan for Action as best practice in food education and changing food cultures.  Jason’s school has also become the first in the country to receive the Gold Award from the Soil Association’s ‘Food for Life Served Here’ programme.  The School won the School Food Plan Award 2016.  It also was a finalist in the Times Education Supplement Healthy School of the Year award in 2016 and 2017. Jason is also the winner of the Educatering School food Plan Awards in 2016 and was invited to be a Headteacher advisor to the Government Department of Health and Social Care. washingboroughacademy.org and www.tasteeducation.com
  1. Sabine Goodwin was a television news and investigative journalist. Sabine now coordinates the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) and advocates on behalf of its members. Sabine is challenging the government on its policies towards poverty to eradicate food poverty. In 2017 Sabine created a database of independent food banks working across the UK, that highlighted how many food banks were outside the mainstream funded activities.  In addition to the Trussell Trust’s 1200 food banks, Sabine has discovered another 800 hidden food banks, making a total of 2000. Her research was first published in the Guardian in May 2017.  Since then, Sabine has raised the profile of independent food aid providers with the media, ministers, academics and other charities. Sabine works collaboratively with others, including running a joint project with ‘A Menu for Change’ to collate food parcel distribution data from Scottish independent food banks and with Sustain and other members of the End Hunger UK alliance to highlight food insecurity. Sabine also worked as the producer of Food Bank As It Is – a play depicting the reality of food banks.  Added to this Sabine is also now working independently of IFAN with Dr Rachel Loopstra at Kings College London undertaking research on independent food banks in England.
  1. Greg Lessons is a Nutritionist at the London Fire Brigade. Greg works with firefighters to develop personalised nutrition plans, helping them to make healthier food choices, and also holds food preparation master classes with firefighters across the capital.
  1. Dr Laura Wyness was a Senior Research Fellow for three years in the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, Edinburgh where she led a range of research projects to help companies reformulate or develop new healthier products. She now works as a Freelance Registered Nutritionist based in Edinburgh https://www.laurawyness.com/.