Why we created the awards.

The Awards are designed to help people who want to be part of the change join our systems change programme. The course is a 2-year programme, and we recognise that it's an expensive commitment. We understand that some of the people best placed to make a difference may not be able to afford the fees. We didn't want this to be a barrier to entry, so Vanessa created a self-funding systems change programme. This innovative approach provides farmers with support, bakers with amazing flour, and customers with gut-nourishing, phenomenal bread. Our Botanical Blend Flour is specifically designed to support gut health, promoting overall wellbeing through the bread it produces. The educational programme allows us to share knowledge where people can make the most difference, emphasising the connection between good bread and health. From this, we created the Awards to make our systems change programme affordable for people who want to join but need some financial help to be able to participate, all while promoting healthier communities through better bread.

A lifetime of understanding

I have always known that the food industry creates refined food that is more addictive than cocaine. Ultra Processed food manufacturers make foods, and baked goods specifically with bliss points to be so irresistible that it has hijacked our brain chemistry, often advertised to the poorest people and minorities.

Thirty years ago, in 1992, two events happened in the same week. I ate my very first Green and Blacks chocolate bar. I savoured and celebrated each piece of a farmer cooperative fairly produced chocolate. The same week I was part of a group helping to collect and analyse data in the psychology department for one of the largest food and beverage groups in the world. Our work was on decision-making at the point of sale.  The purpose of the study was to provide evidence of how to manipulate human stress responses to elicit a favourable response to maximise profit. We ran focus groups and product tests to determine the most favourable outcomes. Witnessing first-hand the extensive research on how to influence free will was chilling and gave me a unique insight into how the global food giants were consciously subverting public health.

As I learned more, I realised that we are starving and harming the microbes in our guts that produce the metabolites that our brains and bodies need to function.  This isn't just food injustice. This is slow-motion genocide, as our food system is also one of the main drivers of climate change.

I believe we can revers this, but only if we have a framework, to use as a game plan and an army of individuals who are prepared to standup for health as a basic human right. If you are one of these people then you have come to the right place.

What makes a successful applicant?

We are interested in you and what you are proposing to do with the knowledge  and why this is important to you. We are not looking for what qualifications you have. It is more about understanding why we need change and attitude and intention to do so.

There are many ways to use this knowledge, including individually if you are looking after someone, or as a teacher, a professional baker, or a healthcare professional wanting to get your patient baking great bread.

Here are our tips for successful applications:

1. Successful candidates will demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs of the customers or the patients in their community and propose how they will apply the knowledge. 
2. We suggest that you provide a clear rationale, including who you feel that you will be prescribing for (if you are a healthcare practitioner) or who your customers are if you are a baker and why you are motivated in particular to improve the nourishment of bread.  Please include specific aims and well-defined criteria of how you will apply the knowledge.
3. We recommend that you take time to write this and then cut copy paste it into the form.  Please keep this concise and make it as easy as possible for us to understand, and remember to include which country you are in, if you are not UK based.

Learn how to challenge the threats from food inequality

Acceptance

Should you be accepted on the course you be invited to enrol via the standard course booking process in mid September.

Unsuccessful applications are reviewed and deleted after 3 months.

We have limited spaces on our programmes, we therefore ask that in applying below you agree:

1. 1. Agreed not to accept an award if you cannot fully commit to the programme.  We have a limited number of places, so before applying please check out the number of hours required for the course you are applying for.
   2. You understand that the scholarship programme is for online courses only, and discounts cannot be transferred to in-person courses.
   3. Understand that scholarships and bursaries are subject to the Sourdough School Terms and Conditions of business.

Empowerment through Awards

The Sourdough School Diploma is more than a program - what we teach is about empowerment . We are a community and we provide tools and knowledge that enable individuals to take charge of their health and the health of their communities through the simple yet transformative act of baking.

Here's how:

1. Self-Efficacy: By teaching participants the art of baking as a form of lifestyle medicine, BALM enhances peoples confidence in their ability to manage their own health and well-being. This can be a powerful motivator and a catalyst for sustained lifestyle changes.
2. Knowledge Sharing: The program encourages participants to share their newfound knowledge with their communities, spreading the benefits of great bread far beyond the individual participant. This fosters a sense of purpose and contribution, which can be deeply empowering.
3. Community Building: Baking and sharing bread can help create and strengthen social bonds, fostering supportive communities that can collectively work towards better health outcomes.
4. System Disruption: BALM empowers participants to challenge and disrupt unhealthy food systems by choosing to bake nutritious bread and sharing these healthier alternatives with others.

Our awards reflect this empowerment ethos. They aren't simply financial aids; they're recognition of the potential within each recipient to create meaningful change. They provide resources to those who may otherwise be unable to access this transformative education due to financial constraints. By removing this barrier, the awards empower recipients to take control of their health, become knowledgeable advocates for healthier lifestyles, and contribute positively to their communities.

In short, our awards which are supported by amazing bakers like Adam Pagor at Grain and Hearth Bakery, are about empowering individuals to become agents of change in their own lives and in their communities, using the power of baking as a catalyst for healthier lifestyles and systems

Who Was Dr Annie Elliot?

The awards are offered to honour of a remarkable person who was a part of our community – Dr. Annie Elliot. As the first General Practitioner to complete the Diploma, Dr Elliot embodied everything one could hope for in a student. She was brilliant, humorous, tenacious, determined, and generous with her knowledge. She was unafraid to try new things and was driven by an insatiable curiosity.

Dr. Elliot was a beacon of community spirit, always baking bread for everyone - friends, patients, neighbours - and sharing it with love. She pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible in our programme and always encouraged us to strive for more.

She was the type of person who not only made a lasting impact on me as an educator but also on her fellow students. Her vibrant personality, her enthusiasm for learning, and her kindness are deeply missed. We remember her laughter, her insightful questions, and the way she could light up a room with her passion for baking and learning.

In late spring 2023, we were deeply saddened by the news of Dr. Elliot's passing. Her absence is profoundly felt in our community, but her legacy continues to inspire us.

In recognition of her invaluable contribution to the BALM programme, we created the Annie Elliot Award, with the permission of her family. This award will be given to to students who embody the same tenacity, determination, and generous spirit that Dr. Elliot demonstrated throughout her time with us to share bread.

Dr. Annie Elliot was more than a student; she was a friend and an inspiration. I wanted to remember her, as a way to celebrate her life and the positive influence she had on all of us at The Sourdough School. Her free thinking, generosity tenaciousness and love of learning, and baking sourdough was amazing.

Thank you, Dr. Elliot, for everything you brought to our baking community. You are greatly missed, but your legacy lives on.

How the Educational awards are Funded

The Annie Elliot Award is a unique initiative made possible through the dedicated support and financial assistance from the sales of our Botanical Blend flour. The use of the Diversity Bread Trademark Licence and the profits means that we can change the whole system. The awards are specifically designed to increase understanding and knowledge in the bread industry and the health industry to raise awareness of how good bread is nourishing and can support both physical and mental health.

Funding Source: Botanical Blend Flour

We are delighted to share that 100% of our profit from the Botanical Blend Flour (supported by the the Diversity Bread consultation fees and Trademark) is what funds the Sourdough School Educational Programme. Milled and distributed through Hodmedods Ltd, the flour supports 4 years of regenerative farming, and supports both physical and mental health through providing fibre and diversity to the gut.

The Sourdough School’s Botanical Blend flour is not only a cornerstone of our Baking as Lifestyle Medicine but also the financial backbone of our awards programme. This blend, curated, milled and distributed by Hodmedod’s, incorporates a variety of botanicals and grains designed to enhance both the flavour and nutritional profile of our bread, and support the farmers and soil health

Hodmedod's Partnership

Hodmedod’s, a company renowned for its commitment to sustainable farming and milling practices, partners with The Sourdough School to mill and distribute this special flour. Their support ensures that our Botanical Blend flour reaches a wide audience, allowing bakers everywhere to benefit from its unique properties.

100% Profits Dedicated to Awards

What sets our programme apart is our commitment to reinvest 100% of the profits from the sales of Botanical Blend flour back into The Sourdough School. Every purchase directly supports the BALM Diploma Awards, ensuring that more healthcare professionals and community bakers can access this transformative education regardless of their financial situation.