BNU Associate Professor in Paramedicine awarded prestigious Churchill Fellowship
BNU’s Associate Professor in Paramedicine Gary Gilkes has been awarded a coveted Churchill Fellowship. The Fellowship will enable him to travel to Finland and Sweden researching into the pre-hospital health disparity for migrants and refugees. The Churchill Fellowship is a UK charity which supports individual UK citizens to follow their passion for change, through learning from the world.
Addressing his award, Gary, who is also Geographical Education Lead for the College of Paramedics, said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Migrants and refugees in the UK receive a significantly lower standard of healthcare in comparison to other patient groups. This is compounded by clinical guidelines that are used by pre-hospital clinicians being reflective of an “average” UK patient which may not be representative of the age, gender, ethnicity, or history of the patient being treated.
“My aim with the Churchill Fellowship is to reform these clinical guidelines to reflect individual patient traits and introduce migrant and refugee healthcare to the UK paramedic curriculum. I will achieve this by learning from and working with healthcare leaders, pre-hospital clinicians, and those with lived experience of pre-hospital healthcare as a migrant or refugee in Finland and Sweden and understand what is working well and what barriers remain, bringing this back to the UK for positive change.
“I would like to extend my thanks to Buckinghamshire New University and the College of Paramedics for supporting and allowing me to undertake this wonderful opportunity. I would also like to thank Jermaine Ravalier, Adetoro Adeyemi Adegoke, and Will Broughton for their help and support throughout the process."
He is one of 118 new Churchill Fellows announced by the charity as it celebrates its 60th anniversary year. The Fellows span the length and breadth of the UK, representing different backgrounds, experiences, professions, and passions. Each shares a commitment to inspiring change and building a better society through global learning.
Alongside Gary, this year’s Fellows’ research will span a wide range of pressing issues - from community-owned renewable energy projects to the use of robotic aids in healthcare to breaking employment barriers for neurodivergent people. They will draw on experience and knowledge from innovators in countries across the globe from Sweden to India, Ghana to Peru and Vietnam to Canada.
Each Fellowship funds an individual to spend four to eight weeks meeting global experts in their chosen field, in person or online, to build international networks and exchange knowledge. Fellows then turn their insights into action - transforming communities, shaping services, and influencing policy across the UK.
Julia Weston, Chief Executive of the Churchill Fellowship says: “We are delighted to welcome our 2025 Churchill Fellows and to witness the incredible drive and dedication they bring to their work. As we celebrate 60 years of the Churchill Fellowship, we are proud to play a part in empowering these passionate individuals to become catalysts for meaningful change. Whether making a difference in a local community or shaping national debate, we look forward to following them on their journeys to create lasting impact across the UK.”