Several NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff were recognised at the 2025 British Dietetic Association Awards & Honours.
For the third consecutive year, West of Scotland won Branch of the Year, while Abigail Dean, Advanced Practice Dietitian Haemato-Oncology, received the Mary Turner Award, and Michelle Wardrop, Community Manager of Dietetics, was awarded the prestigious Edith Elliot Honour.
Falling within Dietitians Week, these awards recognise the significant and sustained contributions to the profession by the winners both locally and across Scotland.
Michelle is the first person in the UK to receive the Edith Elliot Honour, which was presented earlier this week.
Reflecting on this remarkable achievement, she shared her emotions: “There are a range of words that describe how I feel, including overjoyed, humbled, delighted, elated and thrilled – the list goes on. I love being a dietitian, and it is a joy to have received this award for doing a job I love.”
Michelle’s journey into dietetics was driven by her passion for health care and nutrition. “I had a real desire to work in the health care environment,” she explained. “I chose to become a dietitian as I was fascinated by how nutrition impacts people’s health and wellbeing, across all ages. I loved the fact there are so many different specialities that a dietitian can work in, and I have been fortunate to work in many different roles.”
Inspiring others is a central theme in Michelle’s work. When asked about who inspires her, she mentioned both culinary figures and fellow dietitians.
“Probably like many dietitians, my love of food means I enjoy cookery programmes. I particularly enjoy watching chefs such as Mary Berry, Michel Roux Jr., and Raymond Blanc. I have also worked with many different dietitians during my career. So many of them have influenced and shaped the dietitian I am today.”
Abigail received the Mary Turner Award (Trade Union Representative of the Year). This award was presented to Abigail, who has consistently demonstrated the qualities of excellence and commitment.
The awards acknowledged that she is ‘a shining example of what a local union rep should be, approachable, knowledgeable and able to listen and ‘a worthy recipient of the Mary Turner Award this year.’
“I am thrilled to have received this award,” said Abigail. “It’s an honour to receive this in recognition of my work over the last year. I want to thank all my colleagues and hope I can continue to represent them in the best possible way in my role as Trade Union Representative.”
For the third consecutive year, the BDA Branch of the Year went to the West Scotland Branch.
The BDA noted that the West Scotland Branch was 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.’
Clare McKenzie, Chair of the BDA West of Scotland Branch, said: “We are delighted that we won Branch of the Year. This is now our sixth overall win and the second since I’ve been in this role.
“I’d like to thank all my West of Scotland Branch colleagues, particularly Nikola Mazur, Events Officer, and Amy Cowan, Treasurer. They both joined the committee last summer and deserve considerable credit for our continued success.
“We are looking for members to join our committee, and we would love to get more Scottish members involved. For information on current opportunities, click here.”
Neil McCallum, North Sector Director for NHSGGC, said: “Congratulations to Michelle, Abigail, and the West of Scotland branch for their success. Having so many award winners demonstrates the skill, dedication, and contribution within the West of Scotland, and this is being recognised at the national level.”
For more NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde News, visit NHSGGC News – NHSGGC’.
