The Nutrition Advisory Team (The NAT)
Founded in 2020, The NAT is a proactive social enterprise working in the children’s nutrition education space. The overriding aim of the company being to affect positive change in children’s key developmental aspects (such as behavioural, mental and physical health and personal growth), by providing primary school children with the knowledge and skills they need to make their own, well-informed food and drink choices.
The NAT is currently developing a portfolio of carefully researched, designed, developed and implemented resources, which will be accessible to independent, international and state primary schools.
The company is preparing to run a series of pilot trials in a number of schools, designed to test and identify school needs, learning style preferences and content. Following which, the company plan to reflect on and implement these learnings before expanding across the educational network.
The NAT requested support in researching the most up to date thinking in this area, resource content development input and where possible, networking opportunities with relevant professionals.
It would be any start-up’s dream to work with the FIC. The experience of working with Annie has been both rewarding and validating. Annie has offered vital feedback and critique and worked enthusiastically with The NAT. She has intentionally promoted and thoughtfully connected The NAT with key food science and nutrition professionals across the Midlands. Working with Annie has had the greatest impact to date in propelling The NAT business forward.
Project brief
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Reach-out to the University of Nottingham knowledge-base to collate the most up to date thinking in this area and provide the relevant connections.
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Consult with pertinent external connections across the FIC network and provide relevant connections.
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Input in the development of a range of practical-based activities to support the creation of The NAT learning resources.
- Discuss the findings with The NAT and provide any further support the business may require.
The response
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Direct introductions to professionals within the University of Nottingham, linking together to form a synergistic working relationship.
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Reach-out to a series of external bodies, organisations and professionals pertinent to the brand values and objectives of The NAT. Subsequent connects to key interested contacts with a provision of further support as and when required.
- Development of a range of practical-based activities aimed at year 6 primary school pupils to complement the in-lesson learning resources of The NAT.
- The FIC continue to support The NAT in relation to their business objectives as and when required.
Benefit to the business
The support provided by the FIC has connected The NAT with a range of experts, from Clinical Nutritionists, local authority leaders, industry innovators and teaching professionals. This has allowed The NAT to expand their network across multiple, relevant sectors, and explore potential synergistic opportunities. Furthermore, the FIC has provided input into the development of the company’s resource portfolio, including a range of practical activities aimed at supporting classroom learning.
To date the company has developed a strong resource pack and commenced enrolment of schools onto the upcoming pilot study. Whilst, uniting with key professionals championing the work of The NAT.
Project brief
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To support The NAT with the creation of 2 video resources, to demonstrate to children the importance of eating foods that promote brain and oral health through fun kitchen experiments. The outputs were part of a series of educational videos that would help primary school children, understand what they eat, make better food choices and develop healthy eating habits in school and at home.
The response
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Bringing together UoN Food Science alumni, Jessica Stinton and Lucy Dyer, as volunteers to help with the filming, and with the skillful support of the school videographer Laura Holt, FIC’s Food Technologist Kavya Krishnamurthy, coordinated the review of the scripts, and the filming of these resources which could serve as the pilot resources for The NAT to roll out to schools in 2025. Given the tight budgetary constraints as a startup, the FIC also applied on behalf of The NAT, for a Higher Education Innovation Fund Voucher that could subsidise the work which contributes to knowledge exchange and public health, especially amongst children.
Benefit to the business
The funding obtained towards this knowledge exchange activity resulted in the creation of 2 video resources that The NAT could use to pilot their programme in schools in Spring 2025.