W is for Winston Churchill Memorial Trust…

 

Winston Churchill is an iconic figure in British history, best known for having been Prime Minister during the Second World War. On his death in 1965, a memorial fund was set up and the decision was made that instead of a building or statue, a ‘living memorial’ would be created. The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) funds travel awards for British citizens to travel abroad to learn and share knowledge and skills for the benefit of themselves, for Britain and for the countries they visit. WCMT’s slogan is ‘travel to make a difference’.

The study visit to Los Angeles that I undertook earlier this year has been the subject and inspiration for this blog. I owe a great debt of thanks to the WCMT for funding my visit and for their support throughout the whole process.

Last weekend I attended the Scottish Winston Churchill Fellows AGM. Three recent fellows gave presentations that demonstrated the wide range of subjects that are included. One was about hydro-electric schemes in Africa, one about early years parenting skills in Italy and the Netherlands and one about reducing losses in fishing vessels in North America. They were all fascinating and it was clear why the speakers had chosen their topic and how they planned to make use of their learning.

WCMT is developing the ways that it supports fellows once they return from their studies and is working to develop links and mentorship for key areas of study.

The whole experience has been a real once in a lifetime opportunity, and in many ways, the visit is only a beginning. I would very much encourage you to follow this link to the WCMTwebsite for more information.