Four people from our region have been awarded prestigious Churchill Fellowships.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich firefighter Dale Mason is running the London Marathon in his full firefighting kit. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNIpswich firefighter Dale Mason is running the London Marathon in his full firefighting kit. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Ipswich firefighter, Dale Mason has been granted one of the fellowships. He is both happy and nervous about what is to come: “I am very excited obviously about travelling to the US.

“It’s quite a great honour and I hope to do them proud.”

Mr Mason will be heading to Dubin, New York and Washington DC to study how fire and medical services can work better together.

Whilst such a practice is not common in the UK, in Ireland for example the fire and medical services have been working together for 100 years.

East Anglian Daily Times: Mark Heasman has been awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Picture: WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUSTMark Heasman has been awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Picture: WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST (Image: Archant)

The award comes whilst Mr Mason is preparing to take on the mammoth task of running the London Marathon next month in full kit and breathing apparatus.

Mr Mason will be raising money for the Mind Blue Light Appeal in memory of his friend Tony Bickers.

Ormiston Families Chief Executive, Mark Heasman from Colchester, has also been recognised.

“My time as CEO of Ormiston Families has greatly inspired me to research into the different ways enterprise can enable charities to become more sustainable.

East Anglian Daily Times: Suffolk firefighter Dale Mason with colleague Ed Trevaskis. Picture: GREGG BROWNSuffolk firefighter Dale Mason with colleague Ed Trevaskis. Picture: GREGG BROWN

“I am so grateful to have been awarded the Churchill Fellowship, as it will allow me to have time and space to see how charities are led around the world and to bring back good ideas and best practice to the UK.

“I love leading charities and enjoy the challenge of bringing commercial skills into the charity sector, so I am especially looking forward to spending time in Sydney, meeting many inspiring CEOs of charities and finding new ways of working.”

Lowestoft mental health ambassador and former Mayor Tod Sullivan has also been recognised.

Mr Sullivan’s role sees him bring people together to share experiences and become part of network support groups.

It was in this position that he recently organised a two day mental health conference which managed to sell out both days.

Mr Sullivan will now be travelling to the USA to research trauma-informed approaches to the supporting of good mental health.

Chelmsford researcher Michelle Jones will travel to Canada to look at training for military personnel encountering children in combat zones.