Scotland residents scoop 13 prestigious Churchill Travelling Fellowships

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

13 of these grants, totalling almost £80,060 have been awarded to people in Scotland. The Fellows will travel to 11 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 Scottish Fellows are:

• Anna Raymond, from Glasgow, and Project Manager and Community Consultant for creative consultancy Pidgin Perfect, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate approaches to empowering women from disadvantaged backgrounds to work in the design sector.
• Matt Fountain, from Glasgow, and Managing Director of the social enterprise Freedom Bakery, who will be travelling to Italy and the USA to research social enterprises employing disadvantaged people.
• Rose Filippi, a Community Development Worker from Glasgow, who will be travelling to Belgium and Germany to observe programmes which use the arts as a tool for refugee integration.
• Dr Michael Ng, a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon from Glasgow, who will be travelling to Finland to study best practice in gender reaffirmation surgery services.
• Kate Holl, a Land-use Adviser from Edinburgh, who will be travelling to France, Iceland and Norway to investigate protection of flowers and flowering plants in sites similar to the Scottish uplands.
• Malcolm Wright, from Edinburgh, and Chief Executive of NHS Grampian in Scotland, who will be travelling to the USA to research effective strategies aimed at tackling bullying in the healthcare workforce.
• Niki Powers, a Chartered Psychologist and Managing Director from Edinburgh, who will be travelling to the USA to investigate services for teenagers affected by trauma.
• Lyndsay Fraser Robertson, a Family Support Worker from Edinburgh, who will be travelling to the USA to investigate approaches to supporting families affected by substance misuse.
• Anne MacDonald, a policy worker from Inverness, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate new models of business that deliver social and economic impact.
• Martin Malcolm, from the Isle of Lewis, and Head of Public Health Intelligence with NHS Western Isles, who will be travelling to Canada and New Zealand to explore approaches to tackling social isolation and loneliness in rural communities.
• Ellie MacLennan, a Marine Conservation Researcher from the Isle of Skye, who will be travelling to Canada and the USA to investigate measures aimed at preventing marine mammals from dying as a result of entanglement in fishing gear.
• Dr Hannah Grist, a Marine Ecologist from Oban, who will be travelling to Germany and the USA to study efforts to improve the general public's understanding of science through involving them in scientific research.
• Steven Gray, a Science Educator from Broxburn, West Lothian, who will be travelling to the USA to film a solar eclipse using a 360° camera, and use this to engage people in astronomy.

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

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