Wales residents scoop 12 prestigious Churchill Travelling Fellowships

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

12 of these grants, totalling almost £74,580 have been awarded to people in Wales. The Fellows will travel to seven countries between them, across five continents, where they will carry out a wide range of projects. The average length of a Fellowship is six weeks.

This year’s Welsh Fellows are:

• Tamsin Stirling, a freelance housing researcher from Cardiff, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate approaches to engaging communities in tackling youth homelessness.
• Dr. Ajay Thapar, a General Practitioner from Cardiff, who will be travelling to the USA to study innovative approaches to treating people with distressing sleep problems.
• Dr Kristin Ladell, a Clinical Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University, who will be travelling to Australia to investigate innovative biological tools to assess lipid-sensing immune cells.
• Dan Trevor, a Psychotherapist from Conwy, who will be travelling to the USA to investigate mindfulness interventions for children and young people.
• Ceri Wyn Morris, a Marine Mammal Specialist from Llandudno Junction, Conwy, who will be travelling to Canada and New Zealand to study approaches to minimising the impact of tidal energy development on marine mammals.
• George Parfitt, a contemporary luthier from Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, who will be travelling to the USA to explore the cultural movement around upcycling cigar boxes and other materials to make electric guitars.
• Jack Gillum, a student and charity Director from Knighton, Powys, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate how civil society organisations can influence public policy.
• Joshua Powell, a geographer, field biologist and explorer from Trellech, Monmouthshire, who will be travelling to Australia, Ecuador, Fiji and New Zealand to research best practice in island conservation.
• Dr Craig Shuttleworth, a research scientist at Bangor University, who will be travelling to Canada to study approaches to managing the threat posed to ecosystems by grey squirrels.
• Kim James, a Family Support Practitioner from Swansea, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate support for children and families affected by domestic abuse.
• Rob Barker-Williams, a Substance Misuse Worker from Swansea, who will be travelling to Canada, Denmark and the USA to investigate reducing drug related deaths through medically supervised injection centres.
• Eirwen Malin, from Wenvoe, who will be travelling to Argentina and the USA to study approaches to informing and empowering people affected by degenerative neurological conditions.

Since its inception in February 1965, 5,400 ordinary UK men and women have been awarded Churchill Fellowships, from over 101,000 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