East Pennines residents scoop 14 prestigious Churchill Travelling Fellowships

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust has awarded 150 travelling Fellowships across the UK.

14 of these grants, totalling almost £91,500 have been awarded to people in the East Pennines. The Fellows will travel to nine countries between them, across four continents, where they will carry out a wide range of projects. The average length of a Fellowship is six weeks.

This year’s East Pennines Fellows are:

• Romily Alice, an artist and neon bender from Leeds, who will be travelling to Germany and the USA to study neon making with master craftsmen.
• Sophie Gross, a Parent and Child Foster Carer from Leeds, who will be travelling to Australia and the USA to investigate best practice in supporting care leavers to form secure attachments with their babies.
• Dr Helen Hanna, a university lecturer from Leeds, who will be travelling to Canada and Kenya to explore approaches to refugee inclusion within higher education.
• Vicky Wilkins, a Conservation Scientist from York, who will be travelling to the USA to study best practice in pollinator conservation.
• Dr Jonathan Vincent, a Senior Lecturer from York, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to research best practice in supporting graduates with autism into employment.
• Dot Turton, a charity Chief Executive from Sedgefield, who will be travelling to the Czech Republic and the USA to investigate support for students with past issues of addiction.
• Dr Susanne Burns, an arts and cultural sector consultant from Sunderland, who will be travelling to Australia and the USA to study models of supporting artists whose work enables others to participate in the arts.
• Joanne McGrath, from Newcastle upon Tyne, and a Progression Coach at Crisis UK, who will be travelling to Norway and the USA to investigate approaches to preventing homelessness amongst ex-offenders.
• Jacqui Jobson, from Newcastle, and Director of Advocacy Centre North, who will be travelling to Australia and Canada to explore advocacy approaches addressing mental health among LGBTQ communities.
• Dr Victoria Butler, a Physiotherapist from Kirklevington, North Yorkshire, who will be travelling to Australia to investigate exercise programmes to prevent falls in stroke patients.
• Dr Alison Holland, from Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, who will be travelling to Germany and Sweden to observe best practice in voluntary sector support for Syrian Refugees.
• Jenny McComb, a Faculty Support Officer at Durham University, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate best practice in responses to campus sexual violence.
• Dr Maryanne Freer, a doctor from Alnwick, Northumberland, who will be travelling to Canada to research intiatives aimed at increasing the numbers of medical students choosing careers as GPs.
• Penny Curtis, Professor of Child and Family Health and Wellbeing at the University of Sheffield, who will be travelling to Australia and New Zealand to explore how art can contribute to healing environments in children's hospitals.

Since its inception in February 1965, 5,400 ordinary men and women have been awarded Churchill Fellowships, from over 100,000 applicants. The ethos remains the same five decades on – for individuals to visit different parts of the world in pursuit of new and better ways of tackling a wide range of social, environmental, medical and scientific issues. The new approaches and innovative ideas with which they return are shared to benefit their local and regional communities, and, in many cases, the nation.

Before his death in 1965, Sir Winston was adamant that he did not wish to have another statue as his memorial, so he approved the setting up of The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (www.wcmt.org.uk) as his national memorial and living legacy, for the benefit of future generations. Millions of grateful people gave personal contributions to the public appeal.

“Churchill Fellows are motivated and talented individuals who travel globally and return with innovative ideas and a commitment to share their findings to help others in the UK,” says Julia Weston, Chief Executive of The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Churchill Fellows come from all over the UK and from many different backgrounds. They must be UK citizens aged 18 or over, but no qualifications are required. What Fellows share is a passion to make a difference and a desire to share their passion to inspire others.

Notes to Editors:

In total 150 Fellowships have been awarded across the UK in 2017, an investment of over £1,400,000 in UK citizens. The Fellows will be travelling to 49 countries between them, across 6 continents. The categories for the 2018 Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowships will be announced on 09 May 2017.

See www.wcmt.org.uk for more details.

We have many examples of Fellows’ stories of achievement from 1965 to the present day. If you would like one from a particular year or location, or would like to interview a Fellow, please contact The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Press Office on 020 7799 1660, or email press@wcmt.org.uk