Our Patron and Governance

Our Patron

We are privileged to have HRH The Princess Royal as our Patron, who takes an active interest in the work of the Foundation and its events.

How we are governed  

Governance refers to the system of structures, rights, duties and obligations by which organisations are directed and controlled. Charities are generally governed by a trustee board that takes overall responsibility for the charity’s work, including:

• the long term direction of the charity, including its objectives or purposes;
• implementation of policies and activities to achieve objectives;
• compliance with legal requirements.

A core strength of the Foundation is its governance structure (described in the Articles of Association), which comprises a Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee, Scientific Committee, Editorial Advisory Group, Education Working Groups and a Nominations Committee, on which serve senior/experienced individuals from many walks of life. The composition is deliberately weighted towards the scientific ‘academic’ community, based in universities and research institutes, and those from education, finance, media, communications and HR backgrounds. All those who serve on the British Nutrition Foundation committees do so without remuneration, with the exception of travel expenses.

The British Nutrition Foundation is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 21 February 1967. The registered address is British Nutrition Foundation, New Derwent House, 69-73 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8TA. The British Nutrition Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 251681) and in Scotland (charity number SC040061). 

British Nutrition Foundation President

We are delighted to have Judith Batchelar OBE as our Honorary President of the British Nutrition Foundation. 

Judith’s food and drink industry experience spans three decades. She was formerly Director of Brand at Sainsbury’s with responsibilities ranging from policy formation to product development, food safety and packaging along with corporate responsibility and public affairs. Judith holds an Honorary Doctorate in Agriculture from Harper Adams University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology and the Royal Society of Arts and Manufacturers. She is a Non-Executive Director of the Environment Agency, Chair of the Rugby Players Association and a Trustee of The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Accounting for Sustainability and The Matt Hampson Foundation. Judith is also an ambassador for the Woodland Trust. Judith was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to Farming and the Food Industry and is a Commissioner on the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.

The Board of Trustees

The British Nutrition Foundation Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance and strategy of the British Nutrition Foundation and have full legal responsibility for the actions of the British Nutrition Foundation. It comprises up to 12 representatives, who are appointed by the Nominations Committee. Trustees may serve for a maximum tenure of three, 3-year terms. Eight representatives must not have a personal financial interest in the commercial food industry. The committee meets at least four times per year. They delegate the day-to-day responsibility for the running of the British Nutrition Foundation to the Senior Leadership Team.

• Professor John C Mathers BSc DipNutr PhD, Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Newcastle (Chair)
• Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball BSc SRD, Consultant (Vice-Chair)
• Professor Colin Dennis CBE DLm Food Scientist and Technologist (Immediate Past-Chair)
• Desiree Irving-Brown Deputy CFO, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (Treasurer)
• Graeme Findlay BA, Qualifications Manager, Scottish Qualifications Authority
• Sam Fulton, Group Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Nomad Foods
• Professor Susan Lanham-New BA MSc PhD RNutr, Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Surrey
• Dr Bernadette Moore PhD, Associate Professor of Obesity, University of Leeds
• Louise C Redmond BSC (Hons), MA, MBA, FCIPD, Director/Consultant in governance, Investment banking
• Luke Stockill, Commercial Director - Transformation, Asda
• Paul Wheeler, Corporate Communications Director UK & Ireland, Kellogg's
• Alisdair Wotherspoon BSc (Hons) FIFST

Find out more about our Trustees. We also have an Advisory Committee, Scientific Committee, Editorial Advisory Board, and Education Working Groups. 

Honorary members

Honorary Members, are nominated for membership by the Board of Trustees, and who the Board of Trustees considers has made an outstanding contribution to the Foundation; or an outstanding contribution in the field of nutrition. Current Honorary members:

• Professor RS Pickard BSc PhD RNutr CBiol FIBiol
• Professor BA Wharton BA MBA MD DSc FRCP FRCPCH FIFST
• Miss A Heughan RD
• Mr M Collyer FIFST 

Emeritus members

Emeritus Members are nominated for membership by the Board of Trustees, who has been a Trustee, and who the Board of Trustees considers made an outstanding contribution to the Foundation. Current Emeritus members:

• Mr IGT Ferguson CBE BSc
• Mr P Hebblethwaite BSc MSc CEng FIFST FIChemE
• The Baroness Hooper CMG BA FRGS FRSA
• Dr WT Little CBE FIFST
• Professor A de Looy BSc PhD RD FBDA
• Ms R McRobert OBE
• Mr DA Tate OBE DL MA
• Professor RG Whitehead CBE BSc PhD MA FlBiol CBiol HonFRCP
• Professor T Sanders DSc, PhD, BSc, FAFN, FHEA, FRSM