Charity Trustees annual report 26.06.25:
Charity name : Ketogenic Dietitians Research Network (KDRN)
Charity registraton number: 1206427
Address of the Principal ofce of the charity:
UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
30 Guilford St, London WC1N 1EH
Names of all those who were charity trustees:
Natasha Schoeler, Victoria Whitely, Kathryn Lightfoot, Rachel Meskell
Structure, governance and management:
The Trustees are also on the KDRN Committee and are responsible for the overall management and control of the KDRN. All Trustees give of their time freely.
The KDRN committee meets 3-4 times a year and KDRN 3 times a year, including an annual general meeting.
The current committee members are as follows:
Chair – Natasha Schoeler, Senior Research Fellow at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian at Great Ormond Street for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Co-Chair – Victoria Whiteley, RD, Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Secretaries – Verity Crook, RD, Specialist Ketogenic Dietitian at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Charlotte Howard, RD, Specialist Ketogenic Dietitian at Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Treasurers – Rachel Meskell and Kathryn Lightfoot, RD, Senior Specialist Ketogenic Dietitians, Leeds Children’s Hospital
Publicists – Hannah Taylor, RD, Specialist Ketogenic Dietitian at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Tracy Cameron, RD, Paediatric Dietitian at NHS Grampian
Emma Cameron, RD, Specialist Ketogenic Dietitian at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Solenne Guest, RD, Specialist Ketogenic Dietitian at Royal Berkshire NS Foundation Trust
Ruth Ord, RD, Specialist Ketogenic Dietitian at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Lee Morgan, volunteer at Matthew’s Friends charity
The Trustees of the Ketogenic Dietitians Research Network present their annual report and audited accounts for the year ended 05.04.25.
OUR AIMS:
The Ketogenic Dietitians Research Network is a group of paediatric and adult ketogenic dietitians, researchers and other healthcare professionals. The aims of the group are to:
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Provide support for dietitians participating or interested in undertaking ketogenic diet related research
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Foster multidisciplinary collaboration for clinical and research work among ketogenic diet centres
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Apply for funded research time for dietetic-led projects
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Promote evidence-based practice by publishing results from our projects
The ethos of the group is inclusivity. Every member brings a unique skill set – we are lucky to have members who work in a wide variety of settings within the UK and internationally, including those who are new to ketogenic diets, as well as some with many years of experience. Such a mix ensures that research project ideas never stop flowing and there is never a dull moment in our meetings.
An Executive Committee of a core group of members, elected by vote, took on voluntary roles to ensure the network’s smooth running and continued success. A KDRN Constitution was formulated to formalise matters such as group membership, the duties of Committee members, data management, raising of funds, general meetings and regulations regarding voting and alterations to the group. A consensus statement regarding the role of industry and charitable bodies within and alongside the group has also been formulated.
We meet approximately three times a year, with email and teleconference communication in between. Research project ideas are brainstormed and voted upon by group members, drawing on our expertise and experiences from working in ketogenic diet therapy to identify clinical priorities in this sub-speciality of dietetics. A ‘working party’ is established for each research project where members volunteer if they wish to partake in a particular project. Goals and deadlines are decided with the consensus of the group. Much of the work is completed in people’s own time, which is testament to the dedication and enthusiasm of our members.
Our work has been published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Epilepsia Open , and presented at national and international conferences, including the British Paediatric Neurology Association annual conference, Ketocollege, Ketoconference, UCL Neurosciences Symposia and the 6th Global Symposium on Ketogenic Therapies for Neurological Disorders.
OUR FINANCES:
The financial statements show net incoming resources for the year on KDRN activities of £21,820 (year-end 05.04.25)
The principal source of income is sponsorship accounting for 98% of KDRN’s income. All from Nutricia for 3 specified projects – Best Practice Recommendations Guidelines (£4240), Transition Project (£11,170) and Critical Care Project (£6030).
So, in conclusion this report has outlined that KDRN is a financially viable charity, supporting ongoing international research and networking.
Signed:
(by Chair, Chair of the Board of Trustees)
on date: 12/10/2025