One small office, one giant leap for the Accelerate Academy!

At Accelerate, we’re on a mission – a mission to transform the lives of people living with wounds and lymphoedema across the UK. While we’ve built a strong reputation in Northeast London, our vision has always stretched far beyond our local community.

A vision beyond London

Five years ago, our senior leadership team took a bold step: to invest in and grow the Accelerate Academy. We weren’t sure exactly where this journey would take us at the time. Fast forward to today, and we’ve grown significantly. We now offer a strong portfolio of courses focused on wounds, lymphoedema, and even non-medical prescribing updates.

We’ve launched a university module, and published a book, and we’re currently leading an 11-site research project evaluating the Accelerate Fan Strap’s impact on healing retro-malleolar ulceration. Beyond that, our presence is now well established on both UK and European conference circuits – where we share vital messages about public health, long-term condition management, and the crucial link between social justice and patient outcomes.

A team of experts, united by purpose

The Academy is now home to a team of nine, led by expert educators like Katy Smyth and nurse consultants Karen Staines and Fran Worboys, who together bring over 80 years of nursing experience to the table.

Our clinical staff are not only practitioners but also educators, ensuring our teaching is deeply rooted in current, real-world practice. This means our courses are rich with practical, case study-based learning that truly resonates with participants.

We also collaborate with a talented network of Accelerate Associate teachers across the UK. Among them are:

• Donna Brown, recent winner of the British Journal of Nursing Lymphoedema Nurse of the Year

• Sarah Gardner, Chair of The Society of Tissue Viability

• Dr Melanie McLoud, Pharmacist and non-medical prescriber

• Julie Hewish, National TV Clinical Lead for the transforming wound care programme

Welcome to our northern hub

With all this growth, it felt right to lay down new roots. In February 2025, we opened the doors to our brand-new offices at Preston Docks. This beautiful art deco building, steeped in the history of Northwest England, now houses two vibrant new spaces for the Academy.

Our Northern hub represents more than just a new location – it’s a springboard for our future. From here, we aim to expand our educational reach and influence, exploring new areas and creating fresh opportunities to support patients and professionals across the country.