The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

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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.

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