Our Journey

How we’ve grown — from grassroots campaign to national movement

2019 — Campaign beginnings

  • Free From Diets campaign launched by Molly Forbes

  • Grassroots call for better regulation of weight-loss marketing to children

  • First roundtables held with parents, educators and health professionals

2020 — From idea to organisation

  • Began writing Body Happy Kids (published 2021)

  • The Body Happy Organisation incorporated as a Community Interest Company

  • Early insight gathering with educators and parents

  • Crowdfunded CPD workshop series delivered to schools virtually during Covid lockdowns

2021 - CIC launch

  • Released first printable resources and a digital parent masterclass

  • Published Body Happy Kids (Vermilion, Penguin Random House)

  • Delivered small-scale online CPD workshops and began wider conversations

2022 - Laying foundations / early products

  • Developed early classroom tools and piloted CPD sessions

  • Launched the Pocket Booster affirmation activity card deck for schools and families

  • Began expanding our Body Happy bookshop, curating inclusive titles for educators and
    parents

2023 - Deepening connections and
classroom tools

  • Wrote Every Body (Puffin, published 2024)

  • Delivered more in-person school sessions across primary and secondary

  • Designed and released stickers, posters and classroom display resources

  • Continued building school partnerships and sector trust

  • Strengthened links with researchers and collaborators

2024 - Recognition / laying the groundwork

  • Published Every Body (Puffin)

  • Named a Fair Education Alliance Innovation Award winner

  • Began developing the Body Happy Schools Programme

  • Created foundational tools: Theory of Change, impact evaluation framework,
    funding strategy and financial planning

  • Won funding for a fully funded PhD studentship on the programme
    (via     SeNSS and the University of Lincoln)

  • Community fundraising launched by supporters (including Channel swim
    challenge and London Marathon!)

2025 - Pilots and first rollout

  • Continued pilot delivery of the Body Happy Schools Programme

  • Full programme made available for schools from September 2025

  • Appointed a fully funded PhD student (studentship begins October 2025)

  • Began work with Bitpod to digitise the programme — supported by
    funding from     South Yorkshire Eating Disorders Association

Looking ahead

  • National scaling of the Body Happy Schools Programme

  • Further development of our digital offer (KS1–KS4, CPD, Peer Advocacy)

  • Expansion into youth clubs, sports and early years settings

  • Launch of Parent Advocacy and Body Happy Week

  • Growth of Associate Schools and alumni engagement

  • Ongoing research and policy engagement through our Research Hub

Still driven by the same vision:

A world where every child and young person celebrates, respects and accepts ALL bodies - especially their own.