New Advisory Council Member
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Noel Nelson to our Advisory Council – the expert body that helps shape the direction of our Fellowship.
💡 Time’s ticking! Just to go until Churchill Fellowship applications close – don’t miss out.
The Churchill Fellowship
A community of changemakers
About usLearning from the world. Inspiring change in the UK.
We are the Churchill Fellowship: a UK charity which supports individual UK citizens to follow their passion for change, through learning from the world and bringing that knowledge back to the UK. Together our community of Churchill Fellows use their international learning to lead the change they wish to see across every area of UK life. We were founded by public donation in 1965 as the living legacy of Sir Winston Churchill for the nation.
New Trustees and Chair Designate
The Churchill Fellowship announces it has appointed Marina Brounger and Mark Damazer CBE to its Board of Trustees. In addition, Mark Damazer has been named Chair Designate and will formally take up the position of Chair of Trustees on 1 January 2026, when The Hon. Jeremy Soames concludes his tenure after nine years as Chair.
Churchill Fellowship launches three new programmes
We’re excited to announce the launch of three brand-new Churchill Fellowship programmes – opening for applications on 2 September 2025. Building a society that cares, Building prosperous and resilient economies, and Making space for the arts. Each offers a unique opportunity to explore global ideas and bring fresh thinking to the UK on some of the biggest issues we face today.
Connect and Inspire 2025: Welcoming our New Fellows
We were thrilled to welcome our 2025 Churchill Fellows to London for their first in-person gathering, Connect & Inspire, to support them to begin shaping their Fellowship journeys.
Introducing Our 2025 Churchill Fellows
We’re excited to introduce our 118 exceptional new Churchill Fellows for 2025.
Celebrating 60 Years of the Churchill Fellowship
60 years since the launch of the Churchill Fellowship, nearly 6,000 Fellows have been pioneering change across the UK. To honour their work, we’re launching a £10m Appeal to fund the Activate Programme, empowering Fellows to turn their ideas into action.
Learning from the world
Ideas & expertsChurchill Fellows are a unique source of ideas from around the world for a range of issues across all areas of UK society. Read some of their latest below or head to our News and Views section to find out more.
“Kindness and Goodwill”: Developing Postvention in Prison
With self-inflicted deaths in prisons remaining consistently high, Piers Barber set out to explore how prisons can respond with stronger postvention – systematic aftercare following a suicide. His Fellowship took him to New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, where he saw examples such as the embedded role of chaplains in New Zealand prisons, new trials in Australia, and trauma training models for staff in Canada. He is now sharing his reflections with UK practitioners and policymakers, calling for leadership, mapping of all contact points, and varied support to strengthen suicide prevention in custody.
By Piers Barber, 22 October 2025
In conversation with Faith Yiminyi: Beyond the learning: a Churchill Fellowship’s lifelong influence
We spoke to Faith Yiminyi about her 2009 Churchill Fellowship, which took her to the United States to explore how dance companies could thrive and open opportunities for young people. At just 21, she set out to learn new styles, work with choreographers, and see how dance could build confidence and enrich communities. More than 15 years on, Faith reflects on how her Fellowship shaped her journey – from running her own dance school, to working in social care and cyber security, and now returning to dance as a board member of a community studio.
By Faith Yiminyi, 16 October 2025
Scaling Suicide Prevention: Lessons for the UK from India, the USA, and Canada
In memory of his friend Olly, who died by suicide in 2017, Rory Keddie set out to explore how medical students can be better prepared to support people in crisis. His Fellowship took him to India, the USA, and Canada, where he learned from innovative approaches using technology, policy change, and university frameworks. Building on his work with the Dr SAMS project, which has already trained over 2,800 UK medical students, Rory is now working to expand training and engage policymakers so suicide prevention becomes a core part of every doctor’s education.
By Rory Keddie, 9 October 2025
Renegade Guides: the places we go, the stories we share
Writer, guide, and founder of Living London, Saira Niazi spent her Churchill Fellowship in the USA exploring how tours and storytelling can be more inclusive, ethical, and community-focused. Her travels took her through 41 neighbourhoods, 32 guided tours, and 36 interviews with “renegade guides,” organisers, and storytellers, culminating in the creation of the Renegade Guides Handbook. Since its launch, Saira has been sharing her findings widely and continues to lead tours, write, and collaborate with communities.
By Saira Niazi, 2 October 2025
New programme aims to build prosperous, resilient economies across the UK
The Churchill Fellowship has launched a new programme – Building Prosperous, Resilient Economies – to support individuals with practical ideas for strengthening economic resilience in their communities. In this blog, Advisory Council Chair Lucy Parker, and Fellows Grace Harrison and John Barker, reflect on why this programme matters, what it hopes to spark, and how it’s rooted in lived experience, policy insight, and local action.
Featured Fellows
Fellows Directory
Paul Ricci
Empowering boys to understand, express and regulate their emotions.
2024
Zara Todd
Supporting disabled people to take up high-level positions in organisations through leadership programmes
2016
Leah Macaden
Improving dementia care through new teaching models for nurses
2019
Kenny Imafidon
Engaging young people in politics through innovative social action campaigns
2016
Daniel Grant
Engaging deprived urban communities in handball sports
2020
Our impact
The Fellowship inspires change at many different levels. Fellows combine their personal vision and experience with their global learning to strengthen UK communities and sectors and influence services and policies locally and nationally. Many also tell us about the transformational impact of the Fellowship on their own lives.
Learn moreSupport us
We welcome support for our unique programme of Fellowships, which transform lives, communities and professions across the UK. You can help our work through donations, partnerships and legacies, which are vital for growing the impact and the opportunity we offer. We are always pleased to discuss ways to get involved.
Support us