Tag Archives: Dr Laura Wyness RNutr.
Shortlist for the Media Food Campaigner of the Year 2020 award
The Caroline Walker Trust (CWT) is delighted to announce the shortlist for CWT Awards 2020 Media Food Campaigner of the Year. The award celebrates journalists, activists and social media writers who work to campaign to improve public health through good food within the media.
The theme for this year’s award was ‘To Triumph through Adversity’, to highlight the lengths that media campaigners go through to ensure the public are well informed of how good standards in food and nutrition can be met.
“Caroline Walker Trust awards are intended to highlight distinctive and outstanding work in promoting public health by maintaining and advancing standards of food and nutrition. This year we acknowledge those who are striving to make a difference when times are tough, and there are so many changes to our daily lives” said Kathy Lewis, Interim Chair of the CWT
“This year we have two outstanding shortlisted nominees who have shown their passion and dedication to inform others how to improve the quality of their diet and maintain the standards of good nutrition advice,” remarked Kathy Lewis.
The official shortlist of the CWT 2020 Annual Awards showcases the high calibre of nutrition advice in contrasting settings. The two shortlisted nominees for Media Campaigner of the Year comprise @AfNutr and Early Start Nutrition.
“The aim is to highlight the great work of individuals and teams who operate within the media environment, to support those who are continuing to make a difference while inspiring a new generation of media food campaigners to do likewise,” said Kathy Lewis, Acting Chair of the CWT.
“We are extremely honoured to be nominated for the CWT Media Campaigner of the Year 2020! This year more than ever, it has been imperative to ensure families are supported with practical evidence-based guidance and we hope our social media accounts have provided a source of positivity at this time,” stated Edwina Revel, Programme Director, Early Start Group Ltd.
“The @AfNutr twitter team are honoured to be shortlisted for CWT Media Campaigner of the Year Award. We are passionate about fostering a supportive and friendly environment for nutrition students and professionals to learn and connect with one another. This has proved so important in such a challenging year,” remarked Dr Laura Wyness, on behalf of the @AfNutr team
CWT would like to congratulate all the shortlisted nominees and everyone who submitted nominations. CWT would also like to thank the Judges for their hard work in drawing up the shortlist from a very impressive list of nominations.
–ends—
For further information on the awards nominations: https://bit.ly/3jTIf2f
Contact Kathy Lewis [email protected] 07961 317 621
Notes to the Editor
- For information on the background to the awards and how the result was arrived see: https://www.cwt.org.uk/the-caroline-walker-trust-awards-2020/
- 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.
- This year the theme for the Awards is ‘To Triumph Through Adversity’. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the Reception and Awards Celebrations will now be held in 2021.
- The @AfNutr Twitter team are Registered Nutritionists Vicki Pyne, Lynn Burns, Dr Suzanne Zaremba and Dr Laura Wyness. @AfNutr ‘s target audience is registered nutritionists, but others are also welcome irrespective of their background, occupation or experience on twitter. AfNutr’s followers include registered dietitians, medics, teachers and members of the public, as well as nutritionists.The @AfNutr Twitter webpage is https://afnutr.wordpress.com.
- The Early Start Nutrition team promote positive attitudes and enjoyment of nutritious food to ensure the best possible start in life for all! The team have developed invaluable resources and training material to promote evidence-based messages to tackle nutrition inequalities and improve the health and well-being of young children and their families.
- The Early Start Nutrition team has been at the heart of communities in East London for over 20 years providing support services for children, families and professionals. Their Association for Nutrition registered nutritionists, Edwina Revel and Georgia Leech, are some of the UK’s leading professionals in the industry delivering evidence-based interventions with a proven track record of improving health outcomes. The team are renowned for the delivery of projects that meet best practice and reduce inequalities in child development, health and life chances. Their priority is to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to receive ample nutrition and recognise the early years as a key time to build foundations that support children to be healthier.
- Early Start Nutrition deliver services shaped around local and national policies which are translated into practical and accessible services. They have represented their profession at national and international conferences and are frequently featured in leading early year’s magazines. The team are experts in maternal, child and family nutrition and have supported the London Borough of Newham to reduce the number of children who are overweight at reception by 2.5%! The team are currently working with the Dental Wellness Trust to ensure children in Newham have the opportunity to have healthier smiles byintegrating a Supervised Tooth Brushing programme into their daily routines. Visit their website to find out more about their full range of services https://www.earlystartgroup.com/nutrition/.
Interview with Freelance Nutritionist of the Year Dr Laura Wyness
Dr Laura Wyness, Registered Nutritionist, was awarded the title of ‘CWT Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2019’ at last year’s CWT 30th Anniversary and Awards Reception for her outstanding and distinctive work in promoting public health and advancing standards of food and nutrition.
The judges were thrilled at how Laura’s work echoed the variety of work that Caroline Walker herself carried out. Similar in many aspects to Caroline Walker’s own work, Dr Laura Wyness has worked in a variety of roles from nutritionist, writer, author and campaigner for better food. Just like Caroline had experienced, the journey has been one full of surprises but also fulfilment. The road forward has many dips and turns, and there are many routes on how to make a contribution to improve the food we eat and understanding of the effects on our diet. Laura certainly demonstrated how she had followed in Caroline’s footsteps.
Laura’s work as a freelance nutritionist involves researching and writing nutrition content for publications and company websites, providing workplace wellness talks to businesses and personalised nutrition advice to staff.
She is part of the team of coaches at Edinburgh’s InsideOut Personal Training, where she provides nutritional support to members in the form of ‘Ask the Nutritionist’ sessions online and has developed menu plans and healthy recipes. She regularly assesses catering establishments for the Health Scotland’s ‘Healthy Living Award’ and provides advice on how to improve menu options.
Laura also regularly provides comments on nutrition for the media by working with journalists on articles, speaking on the radio, and writing nutrition tips for the recipes in the Ocado magazine. She has helped build up a network of nutrition colleagues through volunteering as AfN Scottish Regional Rep and co-founding the @AfNutr twitter chats.
Since winning the CWT Freelance Nutritionist award, Laura has joined the expert team at Ocado magazine, and has featured in The Telegraph, NutraIngredients, Happiful magazine and Delicious magazine. She has also spoken to nutrition students at various universities on nutrition careers and using social media as a nutrition professional. She is continuing to grow her consultancy business and client base.
We caught up with Laura to see what life has been like since winning Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2019 award. Here’s what she had to say…
How did you feel when you were awarded Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2019?
I was delighted to be invited to London for the Awards event. I loved being in the same room as so many talented nutritionists and getting to meet and chat with others working in such a variety of nutrition roles. It’s not often that the work of a Freelance Nutritionist is acknowledged, so I feel extremely grateful. To be recognised by the Caroline Walker Trust is such an honour.
Have you found your role as a Freelance Nutritionist a comfortable journey?
I worked in a variety of roles for several years before becoming a Freelance Nutritionist. The experience I gained from working in academic research, policy development, supporting the food industry and nutrition communications provided such a useful insight and understanding of the role of nutrition in health and wellbeing.
When I first started as a Freelance Nutritionist almost 4 years ago, it was a very steep learning curve and quite a lonely experience. However, I soon started to make use of the support available by going on business courses, attending networking events and joining groups like SENSE for self-employed nutritionists.
I love the work that I am able to do now and enjoy the opportunities that freelance work brings. The recent lockdown situation has meant revising my business plans and ‘pivoting’ some of my services so I can now offer nutritional consultations and workplace nutrition talks online.
I wouldn’t say the journey into Freelance nutrition has been comfortable, as the growth (or magic) usually happens when you push yourself out of your comfort zone. It’s certainly been an enjoyable experience and one that I continue to relish.
What is your advice to other Freelance Nutritionists?
Starting your own business can be hugely rewarding although quite scary at the same time. I have found regular networking to be a vital part for growing my business and have learnt a great deal from connecting with freelancers in nutrition and other industries.
Seek out the support that is available. The Association for Nutrition and the Regional AfN Facebook groups offer great support, and there are also lots of other useful Facebook groups for business advice, or for nutritionists working in specific areas where you can share advice and experiences.
It is also useful to give back and help others. Being a Food and Drink Ambassador, mentoring early career nutritionists, volunteering as an AfN Rep, and delivering career talks to nutrition students are all ways to support other nutritionists and improve our profession. It can be a hugely rewarding experience.
What is the most rewarding part of your role as a Freelance Nutritionist?
It is an amazing learning experience, not just about nutrition, but also learning about running a business and your own self-development. I feel is really important to communicate evidence-based nutrition information. I love being able to translate nutrition science into clear and practical messages and, above all, being able to pursue work that I find most interesting.
What have you gained from the award ‘Freelance Nutritionist of the Year’?
Winning this award has boosted my confidence. I feel I am still learning (and making mistakes) every day working as a freelance nutritionist, so to gain this recognition has given me a great sense of achievement.
What are the benefits of being recognised by CWT as an inspirational Nutritionist?
As a freelance nutritionist herself, Caroline Walker was passionate about improving public health through good food. With the increasing issues we face in food security and inequality, Caroline left an inspiring legacy for nutritionists to continue.
I am extremely grateful for the support and recognition from the Caroline Walker Trust. It has greatly inspired me to continue to promote the importance of public health nutrition.
Written by Kathy Lewis, RNutr.
Interview with Freelance Nutritionist of the Year Dr Laura Wyness
Dr Laura Wyness, Registered Nutritionist, was awarded the title of ‘CWT Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2019’ at last year’s CWT 30th Anniversary and Awards Reception for her outstanding and distinctive work in promoting public health and advancing standards of food and nutrition.
The judges were thrilled at how Laura’s work echoed the variety of work that Caroline Walker herself carried out. Similar in many aspects of Caroline’s Walker own work, Dr Laura Wyness has worked in a variety of roles from nutritionist, writer, author and campaigner for better food. Just like Caroline experienced, the journey has been one of surprises and fulfilment, and as the road curves, dips and turns there are many ways to make a contribution to improve the food we eat and the understanding of the effects on our diet. Laura has certainly demonstrated how she’s followed in Caroline’s path.
Laura’s work as a freelance nutritionist involves researching and writing nutrition content for publications and company websites, providing workplace wellness talks to businesses and personalised nutrition advice to staff.
She is part of the team of coaches at Edinburgh’s InsideOut Personal Training, where she provides nutritional support to members in the form of ‘Ask the Nutritionist’ sessions online and has developed menu plans and healthy recipes. She regularly assesses catering establishments for the Health Scotland’s ‘Healthy Living Award’ and provides advice on how to improve menu options.
Laura also regularly provides comments on nutrition for the media by working with journalists on articles, speaking on the radio, and writing nutrition tips for the recipes in the Ocado magazine. She has helped build up a network of nutrition colleagues through volunteering as AfN Scottish Regional Rep and co-founding the @AfNutr twitter chats.
Since winning the CWT Freelance Nutritionist award, Laura has joined the expert team at Ocado magazine, and has featured in The Telegraph, NutraIngredients, Happiful magazine and Delicious magazine. She has also spoken to nutrition students at various universities on nutrition careers and using social media as a nutrition professional. She is continuing to grow her consultancy business and client base.
We caught up with Laura to see what life has been like since winning Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2019 award. Here’s what she had to say…
How did you feel when you were awarded Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2019?
I was delighted to be invited to London for the Awards event. I loved being in the same room as so many talented nutritionists and getting to meet and chat to others working in such a variety of nutrition roles. It’s not often that the work of a Freelance Nutritionist is acknowledged, so I feel extremely grateful. To be recognised by the Caroline Walker Trust is such an honour.
Have you found your role as a Freelance Nutritionist a comfortable journey?
I worked in a variety of roles for several years before becoming a Freelance Nutritionist. The experience I gained from working in academic research, policy development, supporting the food industry and nutrition communications provided such a useful insight and understanding of the role of nutrition in health and wellbeing.
When I first started as a Freelance Nutritionist almost 4 years ago, it was a very steep learning curve and quite a lonely experience. However, I soon started to make use of the support available by going on business courses, attending networking events and joining groups like SENSE for self-employed nutritionists.
I love the work that I am able to do now and enjoy the opportunities that freelance work brings. The recent lockdown situation has meant revising my business plans and ‘pivoting’ some of my services so I can now offer nutritional consultations and workplace nutrition talks online.
I wouldn’t say the journey into Freelance nutrition has been comfortable, as the growth (or magic) usually happens when you push yourself out of your comfort zone. It’s certainly been an enjoyable experience and one that I continue to relish.
What is your advice to other Freelance Nutritionists?
Starting your own business can be hugely rewarding although quite scary at the same time. I have found regular networking to be a vital part of growing my business and have learnt a great deal from connecting with freelancers in nutrition and other industries.
Seek out the support that is available. The Association for Nutrition and the Regional AfN Facebook groups offer great support, and there are also lots of other useful Facebook groups for business advice, or for nutritionists working in specific areas where you can share advice and experiences.
It is also useful to give back and help others. Being a Food and Drink Ambassador, mentoring early career nutritionists, volunteering as an AfN Rep, and delivering career talks to nutrition students are all ways to support other nutritionists and improve our profession. It can be a hugely rewarding experience.
What is the most rewarding part of your role as a Freelance Nutritionist?
It is an amazing learning experience, not just about nutrition, but also learning about running a business and your own self-development. I feel is really important to communicate evidence-based nutrition information. I love being able to translate nutrition science into clear and practical messages and, above all, being able to pursue work that I find most interesting.
What have you gained from the award ‘Freelance Nutritionist of the Year’?
Winning this Award has boosted my confidence. I feel I am still learning (and making mistakes) every day working as a freelance nutritionist, so to gain this recognition has given me a great sense of achievement.
What are the benefits of being recognised by CWT as an inspirational Nutritionist?
As a freelance nutritionist herself, Caroline Walker was passionate about improving public health through good food. With the increasing issues we face in food security and inequality, Caroline left an inspiring legacy for nutritionists to continue.
I am extremely grateful for the support and recognition from the Caroline Walker Trust. It has greatly inspired me to continue to promote the importance of public health nutrition.
Written by Kathy Lewis, R.Nutr., 2020
