Four local individuals have been awarded Churchill Fellowships to research the world’s best ideas, innovations and practices across a range of fields and issues.
They were among 27 South Londoners who were awarded funding by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, a UK charity that provides educational opportunities overseas for UK citizens from all walks of life, that benefits themselves and the wider UK community.
The four are:
Charity CEO Gina Cicerone from Brixton (pictured above) is researching ways to make the education system more accessible for children from low-income backgrounds, in Australia and the USA.
Gina will use her findings to inform a new strategy for her organisation in the UK. Gina’s Fellowship is jointly funded through a partnership with The Mercers’ Charitable Foundation.
Policy officer Nicholas Plumb from Tulse Hill is investigating the role of localism in tackling the climate crisis, in Spain and the USA.
Nicholas will use his findings in the UK to influence debates about new economics and provide practical advice for civil society organisations.
Tech and policy director Ella Mae Lewis from Brixton is exploring how younger democracies are using technology to engage citizens, in Malaysia, Sierra Leone and Tunisia. Ella will use her findings to influence policy change in the UK.
Child and educational psychologist Jo Taylor from Vassal is researching best practices to support young carers’ wellbeing, in Japan and the USA.
Jo will use his findings to create a framework for empowering young carers in the UK. Jo’s Fellowship is jointly funded through a partnership with The Mercers’ Charitable Foundation.
Churchill Fellowships were set up in 1965 as a national memorial to Sir Winston Churchill.
They fund UK citizens from all parts of society to travel the world in search of innovative solutions for today’s most pressing problems.
This year’s 141 Churchill Fellows will receive grants totalling over £1,050,000 and travel to 51 countries across 6 continents. The average grant is £7,500. The full list of Fellows and their projects is available at www.wcmt.org.uk from 5 March.
They are among 141 Churchill Fellows awarded this year across a range of vital topics.
Julia Weston, Chief Executive of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust said: “This year we have awarded Churchill Fellowships to 141 inspiring people from all areas of UK society, who will travel the world in search of the best solutions for the UK’s most pressing problems.
“They will explore innovations in a wide range of fields and bring back new ideas to strengthen their communities and professions across the UK. This is a crucial bridge of people and ideas between the UK and the world.”
Everyone can apply for a Churchill Fellowship so long as they are a UK citizen aged 18 or over. The next chance to apply for a Fellowship opens on 30 April 2020 for travel in 2021. Applications open via www.wcmt.org.uk .
