Faculty of Health, Sport and Behavioural Sciences
Lucy is a Registered Dietitian, Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for the new BSc (Hons) Dietetics programme at the University of Northampton. She Joined the University in October 2026, Lucy is leading the development of its first undergraduate Dietetics degree, with the ambition of educating a new generation of confident, compassionate and forward-thinking dietitians.
With over 15 years of experience working within the NHS, Lucy has developed extensive clinical expertise in paediatric dietetics, particularly childhood diabetes, nutritional management and supporting children and families with complex dietary needs.
Throughout her career, Lucy has developed a particular interest in the relationship between nutrition, behaviour and the practical realities of eating. She is passionate about translating nutritional science into meaningful, accessible advice that works for individuals and families in everyday life.
During her NHS career, Lucy played a key role in developing and establishing the specialist dietetic service within the paediatric diabetes team at Northampton General Hospital, creating a service that continues to support children, young people and their families today. She was an active member of the East Midlands Paediatric Diabetes Network, contributing to regional collaboration, service development and the sharing of best practice. Lucy also represented Northampton as the local lead for the regional Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Young People Working Group, contributing to the development of care frameworks for the first year following diagnosis. This work focused on promoting consistent, evidence-based and person-centred care for children and young people living with Type 2 diabetes across the region.
Alongside her clinical career, Lucy is the founder of Flourish Kids, a children’s nutrition initiative supporting families, schools and communities through creative, inclusive and evidence-based food education. Her work focuses particularly on selective eating, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), neurodivergence and supporting positive relationships with food.
Lucy particularly enjoys public speaking and is regularly invited to deliver talks and workshops to community groups, schools, families and professionals, sharing her passion for making nutritional science accessible, engaging and relevant to everyday life. More recently, Lucy was invited to deliver a guest lecture at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry, presenting “Molecules to Mealtimes: Where Food Science, Nutrition, Behaviour and Health Meet” to an audience of PhD researchers and academics. Lucy is passionate about communicating complex scientific concepts in a relatable and thought-provoking way, encouraging audiences to look beyond nutritional theory and consider the people, behaviours and environments that ultimately influence health.
Lucy is also a children’s author, creating The Amazing Fruitables series to introduce nutrition concepts through storytelling, imagination and gentle food exploration. Her work brings together nutrition science, behaviour change, education and creativity to make healthy eating messages accessible to children of different ages and abilities.
At the University of Northampton, Lucy is particularly passionate about challenging traditional perceptions of where dietitians work and the contribution they can make to society. While recognising the NHS as a vital employer and partner, she is committed to preparing graduates for an evolving profession, with opportunities extending into education, public health, primary care, community services, industry, research, journalism, media and entrepreneurship.
Her vision is to help develop a connected dietetic ecosystem, bringing together students, academics, healthcare professionals, communities, industry partners and people with lived experience to create meaningful learning opportunities and positive social impact.
Lucy believes that the future of dietetics lies not only in understanding nutritional science, but in ensuring that knowledge can be translated into real-world change.
Lucy is leading the curriculum design and development of the BSc (Hons) Dietetics programme at the University of Northampton, with the first student cohort planned for September 2027.
Her teaching philosophy centres on creating an inclusive, engaging and clinically relevant learning environment that connects scientific knowledge with the practical skills, professional judgement and communication needed in contemporary dietetic practice.
Lucy is particularly interested in developing experiential learning opportunities that extend beyond traditional clinical settings, allowing students to work with schools, community organisations, industry partners and multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
She is enthusiastic about the potential of the University’s multidisciplinary clinic to support collaborative learning and help students develop the skills required to work effectively across professional boundaries.
Through the programme, Lucy aims to encourage students to think critically, challenge assumptions, embrace innovation and recognise the breadth of opportunities available within the dietetic profession.
Lucy is currently working in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council on a Test and Learn programme exploring innovative approaches to nutrition education within primary schools. The project brings together children, families and schools through interactive workshops combining food education, practical cooking, physical activity and positive lifestyle behaviours. The programme aims to evaluate the impact of hands-on, family-centred learning on nutritional knowledge, confidence and everyday habits, with findings helping to inform future community-based health and wellbeing initiatives.