The CFL Charitable Trust has made a total of seven awards this year, benefitting a range of people both in the Falklands community and beyond.

This year’s awards will continue to assist both Kate Stenning in her quest to become a medical practitioner and Tamsin Goss on the road to achieving her Foundation Degree in Marine Biology with Conservation.

An exciting addition to the list this year is Dale Evans who is beginning a one-year MSc (Master’s degree) in Marine and Fisheries ecology and plans to bring his newfound skills back to the Falklands.

Dale explained that the qualification would allow him to progress his career in the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department (FIFD), filling a local career gap within the department and contributing to fisheries science in the Falkland Islands. He said his overall goal would be to eventually fill the Toothfish Scientist position in FIFD.

In the sporting arena Malachi Budd and Ethan Fowler were both awarded funding to help with their ambitions in the ice hockey field.

Malachi currently plays regularly with semi-pro and league teams in the UK and aims to go professional, eventually returning to promote and train the Falklands’ youth teams. Ethan meanwhile has a scholarship with the Peterborough Phantoms on completion of his GCSEs. The future of the sport in the Falklands looks bright with the ambition and dedication to the sport these young men bring to it

The Trust assisted with funding for PhD student Irina Chemshirova to attend the International Sclerochronology Conference in Tokyo as part of her Illex studies and also made a donation after Cyclone Yaku in March in recognition of the Peruvian seafarers within the Falklands’ fishing Industry.

After a few slow years during Covid the competition for funding was lively this year, noted Trust Chair Janet Robertson.

“It was pleasing this year to see applications that covered a wide field, but it is also rewarding to continue contributing to on-going studies, such as Kate and Tamsin, who are now entering their third year.  In addition, we are glad that we have put aside some funds for disaster relief as the hurricane in Peru proved that we aid can be needed drastically and suddenly at any time.

The aims of the Trust are to further the education and training of the people of the Falkland Islands and to provide financial relief to people in conditions of need, hardship or distress as a result of national or international disaster or by reason of their social or economic circumstances.