History of SENSE
SENSE is the original network of professional nutrition consultants who work on a self employed basis.
We aim to help and promote self-help of all self- employed or freelance nutrition professionals. Established in 1996 for Self Employed Nutritionists’ Support and Enlightenment.
How SENSE Arose
by its Founder Dr Margaret Ashwell OBE
I find it difficult to believe that it was 30 years ago that we had our first SENSE meeting. I became self-employed in March 1995 and, although I had plenty of contracts to keep me busy in those early days, I missed the friendship and teamwork of the small group I had left behind in my last employed position. I did not know many nutritionists who were self-employed, but the more I asked around, I realised there were more than I had imagined and I put feelers out to them about starting a networking group.
I can remember dreaming up the acronym SENSE whilst relaxing with a gin and tonic in the bath one day. SENSE stands for Self-Employed Nutritionists Support and Enlightenment. I knew that we needed to help each other with all the issues that confronted any self-employed person (the Support element) whilst staying up to date with the latest news and issues in nutrition science and policy (the Enlightenment). Many years later, whilst on holiday in Bulgaria, I was delighted to discover a gin called SENSE. Hence my favourite photograph.
I was fortunate, at the outset, that Christine Hawkins, who had acted as Executive Secretary of the Association for the Study of Obesity so admirably since the 1970s, agreed to help with the administration and that Dr Alan Howard made a donation from The Howard Foundation to set up the organisation. At the inaugural meeting, Sigrid Gibson, Mabel Blades and Sian Porter offered to join me on the Committee and then, with a minimum of bureaucracy, we were off!
It was always our intention that the two meetings to be held each year should contain some element of enlightenment i.e. discussion of topical nutrition issues, and some element of support i.e. advice which is relevant to all those who are self-employed. Our inaugural meeting in February 1996 was held in a side room of the Royal College of Physicians during the lunch break of a larger nutrition meeting. Since 1996, our activities have developed with the times and we now network through social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook and use hybrid facilities to expand the audiences for our popular meetings. We have had some wonderful committee members who have all worked extremely hard, and when Christine decided to retire after many years, we were fortunate that Kathryn Styles could step into her shoes.
Over the years SENSE members have received Orders of Chivalry recognising their distinguished service to the nutrition science world:
Published papers about SENSE:
1998 Dr M Ashwell. Nutrition & Food Science Number 2 · March/April 1998 · pp. 87–89. You know it makes SENSE! DOI:10.1108/00346659810201041
ABSTRACT
Summarises the reasons behind the formation of a network and support group for self-employed nutritionists (SENSE). Discusses the pros and cons of self-employment and shows how the formation of SENSE is one way in which a con can be turned into a pro. Gives points of contact for potential members and potential users of the services that SENSE members offer.
KEY WORDS
nutrition; self -employment; support; enlightenment; consultancy; independence
- For full paper please visit Emerald Publishing: https://doi.org/10.1108/00346659810201041
- SENSE members can view a copy of the author-accepted manuscript by logging in
2016 Dr M Sadler, Dr M Ashwell, Dr J Buttress, A. Govindji, J. Harland, C. Stirling-Reed, K. Tonks and F. Wilcock. British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin, 41, 180–187. Developments in nutrition: 20 years back, 20 years forward.
A published conference report of the SENSE meeting on the occasion of the 20th year of SENSE. Edited by Dr Michele Sadler, the topics addressed were:
- Dietary reference values: From the UK to beyond – Michele Sadler
- Health Claims and Regulatory Developments -Janice Harland
- Food Trends and Market Changes -Karen Tonks
- Government dietary advice and the future of healthy eating advice – Judy Buttriss
- Sugar: What has changed and where are we heading? – Azmina Govindji
- Obesity – Margaret Ashwell
- Popular Weight Loss Diets – Fiona Wilcock
- Maternal and Infant Nutrition – Charlotte Stirling-Reed
For full paper please visit Wiley Publishing: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nbu.12208
For more information regarding either paper, contact Dr Margaret Ashwell
A nutrition history lesson in itself:
Here’s a list of most SENSE past meetings right back to 1997!
More recent meeting programmes can be viewed on our meetings page.
1st March 2016
Developments in nutrition: 20 years back, 20 years forward
- Dietary reference values: From the UK to beyond – Michele Sadler
- Health Claims and Regulatory Developments -Janice Harland
- Food Trends and Market Changes -Karen Tonks
- Government dietary advice and the future of healthy eating advice – Judy Buttriss
- Sugar: What has changed and where are we heading? – Azmina Govindji
- Obesity – Margaret Ashwell
- Popular Weight Loss Diets – Fiona Wilcock
- Maternal and Infant Nutrition – Charlotte Stirling-Reed
Wednesday 4th September 2013
Food Allergies and Intolerances
Chaired by Anna Wheeler, NII and Ms Sigrid Gibson, SENSE
- Welcome and Introduction
- Video – What is a Food Allergy and Living with Allergy
- Food Allergies – a Practitioners Perspective – Dr Isabel Skypala, Specialist Allergy Dietitian and Director of Rehabilitation, and Therapies at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust
- BRC Guidance on Food Allergen Labelling – Andrea Martinez-Inchausti, Deputy Director Food Policy, British Retail Consortium
- Allergy Awareness and Everyday Allergen Management – Hazel Gowland, Allergy Action
- New insights into food allergy – Professor John Warner, Professor in Paediatrics and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine and Allergy , St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- Latest science update: The sugar-fat see saw – Dr Michele J Sadler, Rank Nutrition Ltd
Tuesday 5th March 2013
Update on Food Composition and Nutrition Labelling Issues
- Welcome – Michele Sadler, SENSE Programme Coordinator
- The nutritional content of eggs – Juliet Gray, Consultant, and Andrew Joret, Chairman, British Egg Industry Council
- Update on UK Foodcomp project – Susan Church, Consultant
- Front of pack nutrition labelling – Andrea Minchausti, British Retail Consortium
- Nutrition labelling – the food enforcement view – Jane Bull, TSO, Norfolk County Council
- EU guidance on tolerances for nutrition labelling – Kate Halliwell, FDF
- Sense business talk – Everything you need to know about contracts – Richard Harvey and Jenny Parker, Harvey Camford LLP, Guildford
Monday 1st October 2012
- Welcome – Michele Sadler, SENSE Programme Co-ordinator
- Regulatory update – where are we now? – Nino Binns, Consultant in Nutrition and Food Regulation
- Industry response – nutrition claims vs health claims – Janice Harland, Harland Hall Associates
- Enforcement issues – Corinne Lowe, Trading Standards Institute
- Round table discussion
- Consumer understanding of health claims – Stephan Storcksdieck, EUFIC
- Consumer understanding of sugar claims – Nicole Patterson, Leatherhead Food Research
- Update from AfN – Changes to UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists – Leonie Milliner, AfN
Tuesday 24th April 2012
Social Media and Low Calorie Sweeteners
- Welcome – Anne de la Hunty – SENSE Programme Co-ordinator
- An introduction to social media – Ric Marshall-Nicholls, Zone (Digital Agency)
- Social media case study – An example from the British Dietetic Association – Azmina Govindji, Freelance Dietitian
- Sweeteners overview – Helen Munday, Director Scientific and Regulatoy Affairs, Coca-Cola
- Safety of low calorie sweeteners – Professor Andrew Renwick, University of Southampton and former scientific advisor to International Sweetener Association
- Stevia – a newly approved sweetener – Margaret Ashwell, Global Stevia Institute Advisory Board
- Sweeteners and weight management – Anne de la Hunty, Freelance Nutritionist
- Low calorie bulk sweeteners: their uses in food products and health claims – Peter Decock, Global Nutrition and Regulatory Manager, Cargill
Tuesday 20th September 2011
New Developments in Food Allergy
- Introduction and Welcome – Ms Anne de la Hunty SENSE Programmes Secretary
- The economic cost and the impact on quality of life associated with food allergies – Dr Clare Mills – Institute of Food Research, Norwich and EuroPrevall coordinator
- Preventing and reversing food allergy in young children – Ms Oluwabunmi Raji – EAT Study Clinical Research Dietitian, Evelina Children’s Hospital, London
- “May contain nuts” – how the food industry can provide meaningful labelling on food allergy – David Reading OBE – Director, Food Allergy Support
- Managing food allergies in schools – Ms J Higgs, Food to Fit
- Drawing up contracts – the legal issues you need to know – Ms Patricia Barclay – Lawyer, Bonaccord Ecosse Ltd, Edinburgh
Wednesday 16th March 2011
Tailoring your message to your audience – good communication practices
- Communicating with the media – Sara Stanner, British Nutrition Foundation
- Communicating with Key Opinion Leaders – Connie Hersch, Danone and Prof Tom Saunders, King’s College London
- Communicating with Health Professionals – Kate Arthur, Alpro
- DH policy on nutrition and the responsibility deal – Clair Baynton, Department of Health
- Communicating with Consumers via social media – Linda Main, HEART UK Dietetic Adviser and Product Approval Secretariat
- Navigating the health and wellbeing communications environment: A perspective from Coca-Cola – Fiona Angus, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs and Celia Smith, Corporate Communications – Coca-Cola
Wednesday 22nd September 2010
The Nuts and Bolts of Practising as a Freelance Nutritionist
- New requirements for the Registration and Regulation of Nutritionists – Richard Denyer, CE, Association for Nutrition
- The First Results from the rolling National Diet and Nutrition Survey – Gillian Swan, Food Standards Agency
- Demonstration of Diet Plan 6 – a dietary analysis programme by Sue Lloyd, SENSE member
- Updating McCance and Widdowson – the UK Food Comp Project – Susan Church, SENSE member
- Professional indemnity insurance for Nutritionists – Jenny Carter-Vaughan, Affinity Select Insurance Brokers
Wednesday 17th March 2010
Health Inequalities and Dietary Behavioural Change
- Light drinking during pregnancy – still no increased risk of developmental difficulties at 5 years of age? – Dr Yvonne Kelly, University College London
- Know your rotlis from your rotis: learnings from the Ismaili Nutrition Centre, British Heart Foundation Social Cooking Project and Change4Life Black Minority Ethnic initiatives – Ms Azmina Govindji, Registered Dietitian
- The Marmot Review – Dr Jessica Allen, University College London
- The Change4Life Programme: using social marketing to change children’s diets – Ms Alison Hardy, Department of Health
- Increasing our understanding of a behavioural approach – Ms Dympna Pearson, Registered Dietitian
- Getting children to eat more fruit and vegetables. Findings from the evaluation of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme and further work on children’s diet – Dr Joan Ransley, Leeds University
Thursday 5th November 2009
Nutrition and Health Claims
- Introduction to Nutrition and Health Claims – Helen McDermott – Food and Drink Federation
- Update from the Food Standards Agency – Vivien Lund – Food Standards Agency
- Update from European Food Safety Authority – Professor Sean Strain – University of Ulster
- Top tips for dossier submissions – Janice Harland, Freelance consultant
- Case study on the submission of an article 14 claim – Jamie Barnard – Unilever
Wednesday 18th March 2009
Early Years Nutrition – an update on some current issues
- The weaning recommendations – are they working? – Julie Lanigan – UCL Institute of Child Health, London
- To eat or not to eat – new advice on preventing peanut allergy – Ruth Trowell – lead dietitian on LEAP study, KCL and Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust
- What are European toddlers eating? – findings from the EU Childhood Obesity Project – Veronica Luque – CHOP dietitian, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
- New research on vitamin D and bone health – Elphee Medici – Yoplait Nutrition
- Bringing in the new UK-WHO growth charts – Dr Helen Bedford, UCL Institute of Child Health, London and RCPCH project team
- EU nutrition and health claims: A focus on children’s bone health claims with some tales from submitting a successful dossier – Elphee Medici – Yoplait Nutrition
Tuesday 30th September 2008
Food at School and Work
- Health in the Workplace (Fit Bug) – Laura Tilt
- Business action on health and let’s get cooking (BITC) – Vanessa Strauss and Grace Mehanna
- A holistic approach to food culture in schools (The Food for Life Partnership Project) – Joe Harvey
- Delivering the new food standards, from a service provider perspective (Local Authorities Cater Organisation) – Neil Porter
- An update from the School Food Trust (School Food Trust) – Michael Nelson
- Nutritionists and Dietitians Foodservice Forum: an introduction and update (Brakes Brothers) – Eileen Steinbock
Tuesday 4th March 2008
Diet and Cancer – the World Cancer Research Fund Report
- The Second Report of the World Cancer Research Fund on Diet and Cancer – Professor Martin Wiseman, WCRF
- Red meat, haem and colo-rectal cancer – Dr Joanne Lunn, British Nutrition Foundation
- Diet, IGF and cancer – the role of early life factors – Dr Pauline Emmett, ALSPAC Study Group
- Round Table discussion – From research to recommendations – what needs to be considered?
- How to avoid death by Powerpoint – Dr Margaret Ashwell, Ashwell Associates (Europe) Ltd
Tuesday 18th September 2007
Where we are with dietary fat: its association with health and disease and technologies/approaches to alter population fat intake
- Welcome to NII/SENSE meeting at Reading University – Professor Ian Rowland, Reading University and Ms Brigid McKevith, Chair of NII
- Dietary fat composition and disease risk: Chair and Introduction to the Session – Dr Margaret Ashwell, Chair SENSE
- Dietary lipids, CVD risk and insulin sensitivity and obesity – Dr Julie Lovegrove, Reading University
- Dietary lipids and inflammation – Dr Parveen Yaqoob, Reading University
- Dietary fat recommendations and main sources of fat in the diet – Dr. Anne Marie Minihane, Reading University
Approaches to manipulating the fat content of the diet in:
- Milk, dairy products, and more – Professor Ian Givens, Reading University
- LESKOL a low fat hard “cheese” – Richard Clothier, Wyke Farms
- Baked products and other confectionery – Dr Jens Kristott, Britannia Food Ingredients Ltd
- Fried Foods – Dr Janice Harland, Harland Hall
- Visit to Hugh Sinclair Human Nutrition Facility/Pilot plant facilities
- FSA Saturated fat and Energy Intake Programme – Update and objectives of the programme – Ms L Miles, British Nutrition Foundation
- Regulatory Considerations: fat and health claims – Dr Janice Harland, Harland Hall
Wednesday 14th March 2007
- Introduction (Dr Margaret Ashwell, Chair of SENSE)
- Requirements, intakes and sources of N-3 Fatty acids – Dr Caroline Rymer (University of Reading)
- N-3 Fatty acids and Cognition and Mood – Dr Katherine Appleton (Queens University, Belfast)
- N-3 Fatty acids in immune function and inflammation – Dr Lucy Browning (HNR Cambridge)
- Question Time (open discussion)
- Assembling a dossier for continuing professional development and re-registration – Kate Tabbernor, Nutrition Society
Wednesday 20th September 2006
- Welcome: Fiona Wallace, GlaxoSmithKline
- Industry case studies on promoting physical activity: 1 – Talk given by Beth Flower, Sainsbury’s active kids scheme
- Nutritional Needs of Active populations – Elites, Everyday Athletes, Elderly – Talk given by Professor Clyde Williams, Loughborough University
- Children and Exercise – Talk given by Dr Craig Williams, CHERC University of Exeter
- Industry case studies on promoting physical activity: 2 – Talk given by Linda Main on BDA “Weightwise”
- Regulatory aspects of Sports food and drinks – Talk given by Nino Binns, nmb-consulting.com
- Physiology/Methodologies for fitness testing and studies – Talk given by John Brewer, GSK
- Supplying product to races – Talk given by John Brewer, GSK
- Nutrition Society: professional development and the registers (RNutr, RPHNutr, Sports Nutritionist) – Talk given by Sue Lloyd, Nutrition Society
Thursday 16th March 2006
- Has SENSE made SENSE? – Talk given by Dr Margaret Ashwell, Ashwell Associates, Ashwell
- Health Education and the British Heart Foundation – Talk given by Ms Olena Baker, British Heart Foundation
- Is there such a thing as healthy school vending? – Talk given by Ms Jennette Higgs, Health Education Trust (school meals)
- Nutritionist Rates findings – Talk given by Ms Fiona Wilcock
- Scientific writing and teaching – an opportunity for critical reflection – Talk given by Dr Geoffrey Webb, School of Health and Bioscience, University of East London, Lecturer and Author
- Nutrition issues for contract caterers – Talk given by Dr Juliet Gray, Harrisons Catering
- Questions and Answers or Open Discussion
Thursday 6th October 2005
- The Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI): experiences from both sides of the fence – Talk given by Margaret Ashwell, Anne de la Hunty, Jennifer Garry, Janice Harland, Michelle Sadler, Lynn Stockley
- EU Health Claims: an update – Talk given by Richard Ross, GSK
- Collaborations for success – Talk given by Chair: Sian PorterMarketing/PR/Communications), with Fiona Wilcock (Training courses and more), Carole Lowis (Reviews and communications), Sigrid Gibson (Research and publications)
- Open Discussion
Tuesday 15th March 2005
- Introduction (to include welcome from Emma Wigsell and update on the work of Coke in the health area)
- Nutrition and the Genome – Talk given by Janice Harland
- Nutritional profiling of foods and Signposting: What, Why, How, If… When…..?
- View from the top (FSA: Mark Brown)
- Research on profiling (Lynn Stockley)
- Issues for Industry (Clare Chapman, Nestle cereal partners; Karen Tonks (tbc)
- How can I pay less tax (legitimately!) – Talk given by Liz Bingham, Accountant
Tuesday 21st September 2004
- Welcome from Coca-Cola – Emma Wigsell
- Glycaemic Index: from science to practice – Talk given by Azmina Govindji
- Nutritional profiling of foods: SWOT (Strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats) – Talk given by Gaynor Bussell, FDF
- Continuing Professional Development – Talk given by Jackie Landman
- Lessons from personal experience: Writing a book – Talk given by Pat Bacon and Judy Moore
Tuesday 9th March 2004
- National Diet and Nutrition Survey – Talk given by Mrs Gillian Swan, Food Standards Agency (Nutrition Branch)
- Networking for success – an essential business skill – Talk given by Ms Catherine Side, Head of Virtual Consulting Group
- An Overview of Current Initiatives at the Nutrition Society – Talk given by Ms Sandra Smart, Nutrition Society
- Caucasian and Asian Women with Osteoporosis: Perceptions of their Physician’s Care. (A qualitative study) – Talk given by Ms Alison Ludwig MSc
Tuesday, 21 October 1997
- Current nutritional “hot” issues e.g. cancer reports; vitamin B6 etc. Latest Internet tips – led by Dr Alan Lakin
- Developments within the Nutrition Society – led by Dr David Buss
- Developments within the British Dietetic Association – led by Ms Sian Porter
- The Virtual Consulting Group – led by Dr Margaret Ashwell
Wednesday, 19 February 1997
- “Functional Foods and Health Claims”. Talk by Dr David Richardson
Tuesday, 15 October 1996
- “Nutrition in Government Departments: Department of Health and MAFF”. Talk given by Dr Joyce Hughes, Department of Health
- “Personal and Practical Aspects of Running Your Own Business”. Led by Ms Kate Start
Tuesday, 2 July 1996
- “Nutrition at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: An Overview”. Talk given by Dr Liz Dowler, nutritionist, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- “An Introduction to E-mail and the Internet – Its Advantages and Disadvantages. An introductory discussion and sharing of experiences led by Dr Margaret Ashwell
- “The Financial Aspects of Self Employment: Public Awareness, Financial Control and Record Keeping, National Insurance and Tax”. Talk given by Mr Nagin Khajuria, certified accountant, Khajuria & Co.
Wednesday, 7 February 1996
- Inaugural meeting