| Founder(s) | Field Marshall Lord Alexander of Tunis |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1 February 1965 |
| Location | London, UK; Canberra, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand |
| Origins | Living memorial to Sir Winston Churchill |
| Area served | UK, Australia, New Zealand |
| Focus | World peace and mutual understanding through projects requiring international travel |
| Method | Travel Fellowships |
| Endowment | UK£2.75 million (UK:1965)[1]:2 |
| Motto | With opportunities comes responsibility. |
| Website | wcmt.org.uk churchilltrust.com.au dia.govt.nz |
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based in the UK,[2] Australia,[3] and New Zealand.[4] (An attempt in 1964 by then Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson and George A. Drew to launch a fourth Trust in Canada did not come to fruition, in part due to the illness and death of the latter[1]:5.)
The UK Trust was founded on 1 February 1965, the day after Churchill's funeral.[1]:1 Elizabeth II extended her Royal Patronage to the Trust in 1965.[1]:2
The Trusts were founded to 'perpetuate and honour the memory of Sir Winston Churchill' by administering the award of Travelling Fellowships known as a Churchill Fellowship. While the three Trusts are independent, they have a similar approach, identifying potential themes each year and inviting members of the public to submit applications under these themes. The applications are vetted and a shortlist is created. People on this shortlist are then interviewed and the successful ones are awarded a Fellowship. The Trusts are not primarily concerned with scientists and scholars for whom opportunities for research and study already exist. The focus is to offer opportunity to 'men and women from all walks of life'.[1]:9
Today, they receive sufficient funds for four weeks of foreign travel and subsistence, and the majority of recipients plan a trip of this length. In Australia the average award is A$25000 and the Trust administers a number of additional 'sponsored' Fellowships.
The recipients organise their own travel and undertake their own research. Upon their return, they submit a report to the Trustees. Once their report is accepted, they are formally installed as Fellows and receive their insignia, consisting of a specially minted Churchill Medal, at a national award ceremony.
Applicants must be citizens of the respective country and the research must necessitate foreign travel.
An implication taken from the award of a Fellowship is that the recipient is a leader or has potential leadership in their field of endeavour, and that the Fellowship will strengthen their usefulness to society. They are encouraged to promote the Fellowships, encouraging others to apply, and thus perpetuating the memory of Churchill.
There are local Associations to which Fellows may belong, and which generally maintain links with the respective Trust headquarters.
Contents |
| Year | Fellow | Occupation / profession |
Purpose / project / findings | Location of study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Dr. Jane Wilson-Howarth | Ecologist | Discovered numerous species that were new to science and named one, a springtail, Troglopedetes churchillatus in honour of Churchill.[5][6] | Nepal |
| 1982 | Nick Danziger | Travel artist and author | Travelling on foot and by traditional local transport, Danziger traversed from western Europe to China, and published Danziger’s Travels as his output.[7][8][9] | Western Europe and China |
| 2004 | Dr. Steven Mannion | Pediatric surgeon | Having repopularised the Ponseti Method for treating infnatile club foot, Mannion worked with Ignacio Ponseti, the inventor of the method. | Iowa, USA |
| 2006 | Chris Smith[10] | Kayaker-Writer | Explored the Rivers of Madagascar. | Madagascar |
| Year | Fellow | Occupation / profession |
Purpose / project / findings | Location of study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Jonathan Oehm | Certified Journeyman Farrier | The James Love Churchill Fellowship to study advanced theraputic and remedial farriery techniques[11][12] | |
| 2009 | Joanna Bosse | Assistant Curator, Ian Potter Museum of Art | Developed new curatorial models for Australian art museums to work with Indigenous artists and their communities[13] | Canada, USA |
| Nicohlas Bochner | The Dame Roma Mitchell Churchill Fellowship to study the use of improvisation in teaching classical music | UK | ||
| Monique Conheady | Founder and CEO, Flexicar | Investigated public transport systems utilising the latest technology to incorporate newer forms of transit such as bicycles and car sharing[14] | China, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, USA, Columbia | |
| Dr Catherine Crock | The Jack Brockhoff Foundation Churchill Fellowship to investigate the benefits of family involvement in effective healthcare by examining patient and family centred care models | USA | ||
| Samuel T Murray | President, ASSID Vic | Assessing the impact of compulsory registration and accreditation systems of support staff on disability service provision[15] | UK and USA | |
| Sarah Maddison | Social scientist and academic | Studying models of Indigenous representation | USA and Canada |
| Year | Fellow | Occupation / profession |
Purpose / project / findings | Location of study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Don Merton | Conservationist | Study the management of endangered species. | USA and Europe |