Profile
Amanda Avery
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About Me:
hello, I am Amanda. I have three grown-up sons and I live on a farm in Derbyshire. I love the outdoors – we have some amazing places in the peak district to walk. We are a dog loving family.
I am a registered dietitian which means i am first and foremost a scientist but with a specialist interest in nutrition and health.
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I really enjoy spending time with friends and family. My party trick is not knowing how many people are coming! we are fortunate that we have a large outdoor space so can play games like rounders, volleyball and fun cricket with our friends and family. I am quite competitive – but so are our sons!
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I am a dietitian. I used to work in the NHS for many years as a community dietitian, working as part of the primary care team to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable population groups – and to help prevent malnutrition in all of its forms. I now work at the University of Nottingham as programme lead for the Nutrition & Dietetics programme.
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I have had a great career. Good nutrition can make such a huge difference to a persons physical and mental well-being. Good nutrition can also help to improve educational attainment 🙂
I love the fact that nutritional science is ever evolving – we keep finding out new things that can help to make a difference. I have enjoyed having a career where i can constantly learn new things.
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My Typical Day:
I do not really have a typical day! However the days and years seem to go incredibly quickly.
My day really depends on what time of the year it is. During the academic term, i do deliver quite a lot of teaching which requires preparation during the summer months. Then there is the grading of the assessments – which i always think is such a privilege to see how students have developed. I supervise quite a few project students too.
I have been privileged to work on some of the committees that advise the government about some of the nutritional challenges.
On Mondays, i have quite a separate role. For many years i have worked as a Consultant Dietitian for Slimming World where i am a member of their Nutrition, Research & Health Policy team.
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i also have done quite a lot of media work over the years. Working with the media is such a great way of making sure the public reads up-to-date and correct nutritional information. there is such a lot of public interest in food and nutrition – we all need to eat!
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What I'd do with the prize money:
invite local schools to a careers event with a focus on Food, Nutrition & dietetics. The money would help the provision of refreshments and additional resources.
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Education:
I went to the local state comprehensive (but called a Grammar School) – it was the same school that my dad went to, my husband went to and also our 3 sons.
At A-level i took Maths, Physics and Chemistry but ‘rebelled’ against taking further Maths and instead took the Food/Home Economics A level ( i cannot remember what it was called!). i also took Human Biology at what would have been AS equivalent (i had not taken biology at O level).
I was the first from my family to go to university so did not get much guidance. My dad was a farmer too and discouraged me from becoming a vet. i should really have applied for medicine but i have no regrets.
I went to the University of Surrey and studies Nutrition & Dietetics. My 4-year programme included a placement year where i had a research experience in Cambridge and a clinical placement at Guys hospital in London.
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Qualifications:
A levels, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Home Economics (AABB)
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Work History:
Research Assistant, Guys hospital medical school
Dietitian at a large acute teaching hospital
Community Dietitian – I helped set up a new community service. I chaired the local Infant Feeding Policy group
Slimming World – i led the feasibility study looking at the possibility of referring people from primary care to a commercial community-based weight management service
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Current Job:
Programme lead for the MNutr Nutrition & Dietetics programme at the University of Nottingham &
Programme lead for the MSc Clinical Nutrition
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Employer:
University of Nottingham
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
a Vet
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
a Doctor
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Annie Lennox
What's your favourite food?
cheese
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
good health, happiness, promotion
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