North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has welcomed researchers from across the country to Parliament for the inaugural Health Humanities Medal Awards, organised by the Swindon-based Arts and Humanities Research Council.
The awards celebrate the people & projects which are helping to transform the quality of life, health and wellbeing of the population via the use of arts and humanities. This is the first award of its kind to recognise these achievements in the UK.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funds world-class, independent researchers in a wide range of subjects including archaeology, area studies, the creative and performing arts, design, digital content, heritage, history, languages, and philosophy. This financial year, AHRC will spend approximately £98 million on research and postgraduate training in collaboration with a number of partners. The quality and range of research supported by this investment not only provides economic, social and cultural benefits to the UK, but contributes to the culture & welfare of societies around the globe.
The AHRC is part of UK Research and Innovation (formerly the Research Councils), a new body which employs approximately 2,000 people in Swindon which works in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities, and Government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. Operating across the whole of the UK with a combined budget of more than £6 billion, UK Research and Innovation brings together the seven Research Councils (AHRC, the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Medical Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Science and Technology Facilities Council), Innovate UK and a new organisation, Research England.
Justin regularly meets with leaders from across UK Research & Innovation at its site near North Star to discuss their work and the huge contribution the research councils make to both the local and national economy.
Nominations for the awards were considered under five different categories that cover the broad scope of research and leadership within the field of health humanities. The five categories were:
- Best Research
- Best Doctoral or Early Career Research
- Inspiration Award
- Best International Research
- Leadership Award
There were almost 100 entries across the five categories and these were assessed by a panel of academics, health practitioners and industry professionals. The types of projects that were shortlisted included research into the effects of social isolation among older people; support for people experiencing psychosis and mental distress; and schemes which use music and dance to break down social exclusion. An overall winner was then selected from these categories to receive the Health Humanities Medal for 2018.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: “It was a huge pleasure to host the AHRC in Parliament and to help showcase the amazing research they direct. This research is changing lives across the UK and around the world. In particular it was an honour to ensure that the inaugural Health Humanities Medal could be awarded in such a fitting place.”
