About this theme
This theme covers all aspects of the functioning and services of the state, including public services, governance and political processes, rule of law and international relations. It is one of the eight universal themes which form our grantmaking framework and allow us to address every aspect of society. Fellows’ stories
Ananya (CF 2025) spoke at the Singapore University of Technology and Design on accessible systems, sharing insights from her Churchill Fellowship research on how accessibility is experienced and applied in practice, including in AI systems used by vulnerable populations.
By Ananya Rao-Middleton, 2026
Sabrina Matani (CF 2023) has been nominated for a Webby Award for the Women Beyond Walls podcast she hosts, which shares the experiences of women who have been in prison and advocates working to reform the justice system.
By Sabrina Mahtani, 2026
Mike Spencer (CF 2025) has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Innovator of the Year Award at the Global Search & Rescue Excellence Awards, recognising his work on the use of Eurasian otters in UK search and rescue.
By Mike Spencer, 2026
By Ella Hancock, 2018
By Niketa Sanderson-Gillard, 2024
By Mike Spencer, 2025
During her Churchill Fellowship in Ghana, Dr Chiedza Ikpeh explored how teacher wellbeing grows through community, adaptability, and shared responsibility. Speaking with teachers, she how collective approaches help educators thrive, even in challenging conditions. Witnessing this resilience reshaped how she understands teaching and what allows careers to be sustained over time, and Chiedza is now bringing this learning into her research and development work with teachers across the UK.
By Chiedza Ikpeh, 2026
Lucy Peake (CF 2024) was recently a guest on Radio 4's Woman's Hour. In her role as CEO of the charity Kinship, she spoke about their new research that 40% of kinship carers are forced to claim benefits to support their caring responsibilities.
By Lucy Peake, 2026
From an off-the-cuff question as a teacher to lasting change across policy and practice, Sarah Beresford traces how curiosity shaped her Churchill Fellowship and everything that followed. She reflects on learning from other countries, turning insight into action, and how asking the right questions has helped centre children’s voices in the criminal justice system.
By Sarah Beresford, 2026
Ian Nuttall (CF 2011) has been awarded the Fleur Lombard Bursary, supporting travel to New Zealand in 2026.
By Ian Nuttall, 2025
