Meet the Governor!
Mabel Blades is a dietitian, author and a Public Governor for NHFT, representing the Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire constituency. We caught up with Mabel to talk about her passion for championing better health through diet, her journey to becoming an NHFT governor and why including everyone is so important.
Tell us about yourself
I'm passionate about health and I've written numerous books, including one on the GI (glycemic index) diet with Antony Worrall Thompson which hit the bestseller list. I live in Rushden and I know Northamptonshire well. I'm really keen on engaging with people as regards public health messages on diet.
What inspired you to become an NHFT governor?
I was a governor in the past at Kettering General Hospital. I did the full 9 years there and loved it, and then people encouraged me to stand at NHFT. I was absolutely delighted to be elected to represent Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire in 2025.
What are the rewards of being an NHFT governor?
I'm really keen on public engagement. I find a lot of people ask me questions and I like talking to them about our work and what we do as a Trust. I'm also secretary of the Hospital Caterers Association and obviously that combines well with my interest in health and nutrition. I've also had the opportunity to do a lot of training with staff. I really am passionate about trying to engage with people to improve their diet and also to empower people with training to know more.
Why is including everyone important for members and governors?
I think it's vital for different cultural groups and different age groups to be involved with NHFT as members and governors. We have a younger governor who's aged 16 and a number of older governors as well. Having a range of different ages and backgrounds is really important to ensure we're able to engage with as many different groups as possible in our work.