I’m thrilled to be joined by the team behind Nourishing Our Future - a pioneering research-to-impact food and nutrition initiative led by Anglia Ruskin University and commissioned by Essex County Council Public Health. Whether you’re working in early years, public health, family support, or simply care about children’s health equity, you’ll find inspiration, insight and action in this conversation.

👇 Meet the team below.

🍎 Susie Threadgold is Children’s Community Development Lead at Essex County Council. She holds a BA (Hons) in Early Years Education and a Master’s in Education with Early Childhood Studies. Involved in Nourishing Our Future from the outset, she has relished raising the profile of healthy eating and food education in supporting children’s development.

🍊 Emily Fallon is a Public Health Manager at Essex County Council, overseeing Essex-wide, all-age work to prevent and treat obesity. A registered nutritionist (MSc), she brings experience across the NHS, elite sport, private sector, academia, and local, national and international government. Since July 2024, she has been NOF’s lead commissioner and ECC programme lead.

🍓 Dr Kay Aaronricks is Head of the School of Education at Anglia Ruskin University and Lead Researcher of Nourishing Our Future. With a background in early years, teaching and leadership, her work connects early childhood education, food and social justice. She is committed to ensuring every child has access to positive food experiences and works closely with settings and partners to translate research into meaningful practice.

🍇 Stacy Randall has over 30 years’ experience in Early Years Education, working with children and families aged 0–7. A Senior Lecturer at ARU and qualified Social Worker, her interests include leadership, safeguarding, professional development, and food and nutrition in the early years. She is Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies at ARU.

🍐 Dr Sanjoy Deb is a nutrition and exercise science researcher at Anglia Ruskin University. His work spans the lifespan, supporting healthier lives through practical, real-world research. Within NOF, he contributes to developing and sharing evidence-based approaches to improve nutrition in early years settings.

🍍 Dr Michelle Hawkins is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health Nutrition and Director of Learning, Teaching and Assessment at faculty level. She is also a mother to a nearly nine-year-old child. Passionate about giving children the best possible start, she is committed to supporting educators and parents to create environments where children build healthy, lasting relationships with food.

🍒 Mitzi Harris is a Research Assistant at Anglia Ruskin University working on the county-commissioned Nourishing Our Future project. Achieving a first-class degree in Early Childhood Studies and leading research within NOF has strengthened her commitment to improving practice across education. She is studying for an MA in Education with Leadership and Management at ARU and is also a freelance writer and published author of two children’s books, Cicerella and The Stripe Family.

🥝 Dr Michelle Wisbey qualified as a Montessori teacher 29 years ago and is founder and director of four Montessori nurseries. Her work centres on creating high-quality early years environments rooted in authentic Montessori principles. She has a strong research interest in amplifying the child’s voice and designing environments that nurture independence, curiosity and holistic development.

🔗Links:

Website: www.nourishingourfuture.co.uk

Research Report: https://nourishingourfuture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/digital-nof-conference-report-march202…

Essex Early Years NOF Award: https://nourishingourfuture.co.uk/essex-early-years-nourishing-our-future-nof-award/NOF conference 2026:

Nourishing Our Future Conference 2026 Tickets, Saturday, Mar 14 from 9 am to 4 pm | Eventbrite

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Hannah Hagon...

Hannah Hagon is an educator, author, and founder of Unplugged Tots, a movement inspiring families and educators to rediscover the power of screen-free play and genuine human connection. Her work is at the intersection of early childhood education and computational thinking, blending academic insight with hands-on experience to show how unplugged learning nurtures creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking from the very start.

Hannah has co-authored academic research on computational thinking and unplugged approaches, collaborating with leading educators to explore how low-tech, playful learning builds future-ready skills. She is also the author of "Unplugged Tots" published by Raspberry Pi Press. A book designed to help teach the core concepts behind coding to preschool-aged children (and have fun while doing it!). Just like learning an additional language, the process of learning digital skills has numerous benefits for children (as well as parents, teachers, and caregivers), including improved communication, greater confidence, and perhaps the most important skill of all: the ability to learn from failure.

The mission of Unplugged Tots is heartfelt and one that invites parents and caregivers to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover the simple joy of play in a fast-paced, digital world.

🔗Links:

https://www.unpluggedtots.com/Unplugged Tots Book: https://www.unpluggedtots.com/unplugged-tots-book

Socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unpluggedtots

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnpluggedTots

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unplugged-tots/

Hannah's Academic research:

An introduction to unplugged coding for preschool children: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342014814_An_introduction_to_unplugged_coding_for_preschool_children

Encouraging computational thinking skills in preschool children with unplugged play activities: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360076579_Encouraging_computational_thinking_skills_in_preschool_children_with_unplugged_play_activities

Can Pre-school Children Learn Programming and Coding Through Guided Play Activities? A Case Study in Computational Thinking: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352963389_Can_Pre-school_Children_Learn_Programming_and_Coding_Through_Guided_Play_Activities_A_Case_Study_in_Computational_Thinking?_sg%5B0%5D=kDP9LOCFyui_4E_EWjI4xyhp4kSOSpoROOMvGvQQYzea6-m__0XXrZX9FRbWmzLKCPTXTX3Czg5aXTYLPCj4e3O_fBaQGP55V84xBwLD.fOXHWvQtCO0lo700NoQXE82w4ARpENA7E_7WHAOcduI0t4usQ9xiSVWym5KO_mfdv8KsE6leI4mvIpel1USs_g&_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InByb2ZpbGUiLCJwYWdlIjoicHJvZmlsZSIsInByZXZpb3VzUGFnZSI6InByb2ZpbGUiLCJwb3NpdGlvbiI6InBhZ2VDb250ZW50In19

Computational thinking for preschoolers: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367541422_Computational_thinking_for_preschoolers?_sg%5B0%5D=kDP9LOCFyui_4E_EWjI4xyhp4kSOSpoROOMvGvQQYzea6-m__0XXrZX9FRbWmzLKCPTXTX3Czg5aXTYLPCj4e3O_fBaQGP55V84xBwLD.fOXHWvQtCO0lo700NoQXE82w4ARpENA7E_7WHAOcduI0t4usQ9xiSVWym5KO_mfdv8KsE6leI4mvIpel1USs_g&_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InByb2ZpbGUiLCJwYWdlIjoicHJvZmlsZSIsInByZXZpb3VzUGFnZSI6InByb2ZpbGUiLCJwb3NpdGlvbiI6InBhZ2VDb250ZW50In19

A Curriculum Framework and Assessment Approach for Computational Thinking in the Early Years: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385884433_Curriculum_Framework_and_Assessment_Approach_for_Computational_Thinking_in_the_Early_Years?_sg%5B0%5D=kDP9LOCFyui_4E_EWjI4xyhp4kSOSpoROOMvGvQQYzea6-m__0XXrZX9FRbWmzLKCPTXTX3Czg5aXTYLPCj4e3O_fBaQGP55V84xBwLD.fOXHWvQtCO0lo700NoQXE82w4ARpENA7E_7WHAOcduI0t4usQ9xiSVWym5KO_mfdv8KsE6leI4mvIpel1USs_g&_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InByb2ZpbGUiLCJwYWdlIjoicHJvZmlsZSIsInByZXZpb3VzUGFnZSI6InByb2ZpbGUiLCJwb3NpdGlvbiI6InBhZ2VDb250ZW50In19

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Cheryl Warren...

Cheryl is an award winning trainer and consultant working across the UK and is clear on her mission, to provide early years spaces that enable our neurodivergent children to thrive, not just survive.

Cheryl’s passion and specialism for understanding and acceptance for neurodiversity within early years is impactful and comes from the heart, as a professional and also as parent of two neurodivergent children herself.

She is an advocate for true neurodiversity affirming practice, enabling ALL children to be heard, to be given the tools and connections to thrive and to be celebrated and accepted for their uniqueness. Her work has now taken her international with speaking and training invitations across Europe and has just had her first book published on this important subject.

🔗Links:

Cheryl's book: https://www.routledge.com/Neurodiversity-in-the-Early-Years-Practical-and-Proven-Strategies-to-Enable-Neurodivergent-Children-to-Thrive/Warren/p/book/9781032637303

Website: https://www.aperiontraining.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aperion_training

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aperion_training

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-bedding-11568b11b

Courses: https://courses.aperiontraining.co.uk/

Discount Code: SEND20

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Brad Wendes...Brad Wendes, is a creative professional with a career that’s taken him from setting Guinness World Records as a gymnast and performing on Britain’s Got Talent, to choreographing action sequences for international films and Olivier Award-winning theatre productions. He has been fortunate to work across theatre, film, and television, collaborating with some of the world’s most talented performers and creators.In his words, becoming a father shifted his focus and strengthened his passion for mentorship. As the founder of the Kinetix Academy, he now dedicates much of his time to working with young people, many from challenging backgrounds, helping them to build resilience, confidence, and employability through movement, creativity, and support. Brad is committed not only to guiding at-risk youth but also to changing the way employers view young people, encouraging them to see potential where others might not. His journey has been diverse, and he kindly shares it with others in the hope of inspiring growth, opportunity, and positive change in the next generation.

🔗Links:

https://teamkinetix.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/kinetixacademy/

https://www.instagram.com/teamkinetix/

https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@teamkinetixmedia⁩ 

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Kierran Pearce...

Kierran Pearce is the lead for the Multi-Schools Council (MSC). He has 17 years’ experience of working within SEND education, teaching in two special needs schools, becoming a SEND governor at his former Secondary school and creating the MSC model which is now a full-time role funded by the local authority. 

Kierran’s passion for SEND education is driven by his work in special education and

young people expressing their desire for better awareness within society. The MSC model now works with over 700 schools, has over 200 young ambassadors and regularly engages with young people.

The MSC work led to a national award in 2024 from the NHS for its approach to co-production and Kierran has also now been commissioned to lead on a regional network named Voices Of The East (VOTE).

In December of last year the work of the MSC was captured in a national case study

published by ISOS as part of the ‘What works in SEND’ agenda and is forming part of a business case to roll this work out further.

🔗Links:
Home - Multi Schools Council

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Dr Veronica Roberts...Veronica is an Educational Psychologist and Parent Coach based in Frome, Somerset. Graduating as an EP from the Institute of Education in 2009, she worked for many years in Local Authorities , specialising in autism and mental health. After having her own son in 2015 and realising she wanted to work more closely with parents she shifted into independent practice, offering parent coaching alongside her educational psychology work. When Covid hit the world her family were on the cusp of moving to New Zealand but the borders closed 4 days before their flight and so they were left stranded in the UK without a home. This was Veronica's first experience of home education and after many failed attempts of trying to recreate a classroom she turned to 'gameschooling', something she describes as a total gamechanger in terms of supporting her son's enthusiasm and engagement with learning.She and her family finally emigrated to New Zealand in June 2021 where she worked with Te Kahu Toi - the Intensive Wraparound Service, a service set up to support the most vulnerable children in the country and their families. It was during this time that she began to appreciate the intersection of neurodiversity and educational trauma - both in her professional work, but also within her own family as her son's sensory needs meant his re-entry into school had led to a rapid decline in his behaviour and well-being, and ultimately sensory overload and burnout. Veronica has recently spoken in her local community about the journey she went on as a parent, re-entering home education as a 'last resort' and supporting her son back from burnout to well-being. She is keen to raise awareness and understanding on this issue within schools, as well as support parents in similar situations . She is particularly interested in the deschooling process for families where home education has felt like a forced choice or 'last resort' and is in the process of writing a book to support parents on this journey.

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Dr Kim Collett...Dr Kim Collett has a PhD in inclusive education and is an Associate Lecturer teaching on education, research, social work and social science degrees. Her research focuses on how we understand what inclusion is and how this is experienced by those in the classroom as well as how research can listen to the voices of those often silenced by research and society. Her passion for inclusive education comes from her own experiences of being a child with special educational needs and how she never felt included at school. This ignited a passion for inclusion as she doesn't want others to feel the way she did.🔗Links:website: https://drkimcollett.co.uk/Instagram:   / dr_kim_collett  YouTube:    / @drkimcollett   ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...LinkedIn:   / dr-kim-collett-41637537b  

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Tracie Butterfill...As Twinkl's National Lead for private Early Years settings and Parents, Tracie has over 30 years' experience in early childhood education, with a passion for the wellbeing and development of babies and young children, especially during their first 1000 days. Her diverse career includes roles as a consultant, manager, university lecturer, school trustee, early years advisor, and roles in nurseries.As a mum of two, she knows all about the trials and triumphs of parenthood, which is why she’s passionate about supporting families and educators to give children the best start in life.🔗Links:https://www.twinkl.co.uk/

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Dr Gina Gomez De La Cuesta...Gina founded Bricks for Autism (now Play Included) in 2018, supported by the Cambridge Social Ventures incubator programme. Having studied LEGO based therapy for her PhD at Cambridge University Autism Research Centre, Gina is co-author of the LEGO based therapy manual. Gina completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of East Anglia and has done PGCE teacher training. Gina continues to be involved with academic research as well as clinical practice, specialising in autism and child and adolescent mental health. She has published several academic papers on LEGO based therapy, including for the I-SOCIALISE randomised control trial. She loves singing, cooking and travelling to Spain🔗Links:[email protected]  / playincluded     / @playincluded     / playincluded  

🎙️Welcome to the RECAP podcast!

👋Today we welcome the wonderful Suzy Stanton...Suzy is a copywriter and the creator and editor of We Made a Wish digital adoption and parenting magazine. She's a mum via adoption to two beautiful sisters, and the magazine is the resource she wished had been available when she started her adoption journey, as she struggled to find many blogs, articles or books written by adopters sharing their experience of the process. Suzy is based in the North East of England and lives with her husband and two daughters, who grew in her heart, not her belly. She’s a redhead, came 5th in the World in Sports Acrobatics a number of years ago and loves a cup of tea and a good book.Here she shares her adoption story...🔗Links:The link to the magazine is here: https://wemadeawish.co.uk/ Suzy's Instagram is :   / wemadeawishadoptionmagazine  Here's the links to books for friends and family: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adoption-Fam...https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cousins-Adop...https://www.amazon.co.uk/Related-adop...https://www.tgjonesonline.co.uk/Produ...