This year’s Maurice Hanssen Award of Honour has been bestowed on Robert Wilson.
The Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) announced Robert as the winner at its AGM in recognition of his deep-rooted personal commitment to furthering complementary medicine within the industry.
Robert’s career in the natural health industry has been a long and successful one, joining the family company, Nelsons, in 1987, after graduating from Trinity College, Dublin. Beginning in marketing, he became Managing Director in 1991, before assuming Chairmanship of the company in 2000.
As well his ‘day job’, Robert is Chairman of the BAHM – the British Association of Homeopathic Manufacturers – and is a passionate advocate of complementary medicine and natural healthcare.
Outside of the industry, Robert is very actively involved in many projects. He is Chairman of the Barcapel Foundation, which has been supporting charitable works and endeavours in Scotland and beyond for over 40 years, as part of an extensive charitable-giving programme. He has also recently been appointed Chair of Creative Scotland, the development body for the arts and creative industries in Scotland.
Commenting on his award, Robert said: “I have such a love and dedication for this great industry, and to be able to feel like you are truly making a difference to people’s lives, and being recognised for that difference, is a real honour. The HFMA does a brilliant job at protecting the interests of this sector and I look forward to working alongside the association to represent and celebrate this great industry for many more years to come.”
The HFMA has also revealed the winner of its Health Journalist of the Year Award to be Lucy Gornell, an influential health and fitness editor for some of the most well-known women’s magazines in the country. As well producing freelance fitness content for big names, Lucy currently edits the health and fitness content for seven
magazines.
Robert Taylor, HFMA Chair, commented: “Lucy is a great example of a journalist who is truly practicing what they preach. She is a positive influence to her millions of readers, and a shining advocate for our industry, challenging people to think twice about what they put into their bodies and strive to be healthier in their everyday lives.”
Lucy added: “I feel a huge
sense of responsibility writing in the health area: with so much false information out there, it’s up to journalists like us to educate the masses on the most important new discoveries and developments within the industry, and I feel privileged to be a part of this process.”
