The Colledge Family Memorial Fellowship Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £162,261 (grants awarded in most recent year)
• Success Rate: Approximately 8 awards made annually from competitive field
• Decision Time: Applications reviewed and announced late June/early July
• Grant Range: £10,000 - £30,000 per candidate
• Geographic Focus: UK medical graduates; overseas study supported globally

Contact Details

Email: research@rcseng.ac.uk (administered by Royal College of Surgeons of England)

Phone: 020 7869 6123

Application Portal: rcsengland.flexigrant.com

Website: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/standards-and-research/research/fellowships-awards-grants/awards-and-grants/travel-awards/colledge-fellowship/

Overview

The Colledge Family Memorial Fellowship Trust was established in 1980 by a Deed of Trust from Miss M C Colledge to establish a fund in memory of her father, Lionel Colledge FRCS, a famous London surgeon. The charity was created by a generous bequest from his daughter Cecilia Colledge. With an endowment of approximately £2.5 million, the trust uses the interest to fund a small number of high-value awards for overseas study each year. Registered as charity number 281012, the trust has total income of £143,734 and expenditure of £164,408 (financial year ending 30 June 2024). The fellowship is administered by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and specifically supports senior trainees and recently appointed consultants in head and neck surgery/ENT to gain clinical or research experience at centers of excellence worldwide.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Colledge Family Memorial Fellowship - £10,000 - £30,000 per candidate

A travel fellowship supporting overseas study in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, and laryngology. The fund awards approximately £100,000 annually across multiple recipients (typically 6-8 fellows per year). Applications are submitted via the Royal College of Surgeons of England's Flexi Grant online portal with a fixed annual deadline (typically early March).

Priority Areas

The fellowship prioritizes:

• Clinical experience: Hands-on surgical training at overseas centers of excellence
• Research experience: Overseas research opportunities in head and neck surgery specialties
• Subspecialty training in areas including:
• Otology and neurotology
• Rhinology and anterior skull base surgery
• Head and neck oncologic surgery
• Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery (TONES)
• Microvascular reconstruction

Recent awards (2023/24) enabled fellows to study at leading institutions in Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne), Canada (Toronto), and South Africa (Cape Town). The fellowship explicitly aims to advance surgical practice and ultimately improve patient care in these specialist areas.

What They Don't Fund

• Conference attendance or scientific meeting participation
• Fellowships for non-UK medical graduates
• Applications from those who have previously received this award
• Individuals who are not fellows or members of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
• Surgeons beyond early consultant level (typically more than 5 years post-appointment)

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust has 3 trustees:

1. Mr T George - Appointed 21 March 2013. Also serves as trustee of The Royal College of Surgeons of England and The Arthritis Research Trust.

1. Professor Antony Narula - Also serves as trustee of The Freemasons' Fund for Surgical Research.

1. One additional trustee (name not publicly listed)

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust has no employees, with administrative functions handled by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Selection Committee

Applications are reviewed and scored by a small group of senior ENT surgeons, ensuring peer review by specialists in the field.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Royal College of Surgeons of England's Flexi Grant portal at rcsengland.flexigrant.com.

Application Requirements:

1. Completed applicant form via online portal
2. Letter of support from current Head of Department or Consultant
3. Letter of support from Head of Department at the destination institution
4. Applicants are responsible for ensuring all relevant parties access and complete required documentation and submit together by the deadline

Eligibility:

• Must be a fellow or member of The Royal College of Surgeons of England
• Must be a UK medical graduate
• Must be a senior trainee or recently appointed Consultant (typically within 5 years of appointment) in head and neck surgery
• Must conduct clinical study/research overseas in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery
• Must never have previously received this award

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadline: Early March (typically first week of March around 2pm)
• Review Period: Applications reviewed and scored by senior ENT surgeons following submission
• Announcement: Fellowships usually announced late June/early July
• Fellowship Start: Fellows typically commence their overseas placements following announcement

Post-Award Requirements

Recipients must submit a report within three months of returning from their fellowship.

Success Rates

The fellowship is highly competitive. Based on recent data:

• Approximately 6-8 fellows are awarded annually
• Total annual distribution approximately £100,000 (suggesting strong competition for limited places)
• The fund specifically states it provides “a small number of high value awards”

Reapplication Policy

Applicants who have previously received the Colledge Fellowship are not eligible to reapply. However, there is no explicit restriction on unsuccessful applicants reapplying in subsequent years.

Application Success Factors

Key Selection Criteria

Based on the fellowship's stated priorities and successful recipients:

1. Clear Learning Objectives: Applications must demonstrate specific, well-defined objectives for the overseas placement. The selection committee evaluates the "merits of the proposed centre in relation to the candidate's learning objectives."

1. Clinical/Research Focus: “All applications will be considered, but applicants seeking to gain clinical or research experience will be prioritised.” The fellowship explicitly does not favour applications solely for conference attendance.

1. Center of Excellence: The destination institution should be a recognized leader in the specific subspecialty. Recent successful applications have targeted world-leading centers in Australia (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Melbourne, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital), Canada (Toronto General Hospital), and South Africa (Groote Schuur University Hospital).

1. Strong Letters of Support: Two letters are required - one from the applicant's current supervisor and one from the host institution. These should clearly articulate the value of the placement.

1. Career Stage Appropriateness: The fellowship targets surgeons at a specific career stage - late-stage trainees or consultants within approximately 5 years of appointment.

1. UK Benefit: The fellowship's charitable objectives emphasize that “activities are carried out for public benefit as the grants awarded support surgeons in the study of specialisms which promote better practice in patient care.”

Profile of Successful Applicants

Successful 2023/24 recipients pursued diverse subspecialties:

• Misha Verkerk - Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery (Sydney)
• Robert McLeod - Otology and Neurotology (Toronto)
• Nora Haloob - Transorbital Neuroendoscopic Surgery (Cape Town)
• James Schuster-Bruce - Head and Neck Surgery (Cape Town)
• Eamon Shamil - Facial Plastic and Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery (Sydney)
• James Bates - Rhinology and Anterior Skull Base (Brisbane)
• Peter Lion - Training at World Leading Cancer Centre (Melbourne)
• Peter Deutsch - Head and Neck Surgery (Brisbane)

This demonstrates the fellowship supports depth in specialized areas rather than general training.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Target advanced trainees and early consultants: The fellowship is specifically designed for surgeons in late-stage training or within approximately 5 years of consultant appointment in head and neck surgery/ENT.

• Focus on clinical/research experience, not conferences: Applications prioritizing hands-on clinical training or research at overseas centers are explicitly favoured over conference attendance.

• Choose world-leading destinations: Successful applicants consistently target recognized centers of excellence. Australia, Canada, and select institutions in other countries feature prominently.

• Be subspecialty-specific: Recent winners pursued highly specialized areas within ENT/head and neck surgery. Demonstrate how the fellowship will develop expertise in a defined subspecialty.

• Secure strong institutional support: Letters from both current and destination supervisors are required. These should clearly articulate the learning objectives and value of the placement.

• Plan for £10-30k budget: Award amounts vary within this range, so fellowship plans should be realistic for this funding level.

• Allow adequate preparation time: With a March deadline and June/July announcement, successful applicants need to plan well in advance, particularly for securing host institution commitments.

• Emphasize patient care benefit: The trust's charitable objectives emphasize that supported training should “promote better practice in patient care in these areas.”

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Get A-Head Charitable Trust
• THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE BENEVOLENT FUND
• The George Drexler Foundation
• Brain Research UK
• The Osteopathic Foundation
• Oracle Head and Neck Cancer UK Limited
• British Orthopaedic Association
• The Foulkes Foundation
• The James Weir Foundation
• The Evie Dove Foundation CIO

References

1. Charity Commission Register - The Colledge Family Memorial Fellowship Trust (Charity No. 281012): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/281012

1. Royal College of Surgeons of England - The Colledge Family Memorial Fellowship Fund: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/standards-and-research/research/fellowships-awards-grants/awards-and-grants/travel-awards/colledge-fellowship/

1. ENT UK - Successful Candidates for This Year's Colledge Family Fund: https://www.entuk.org/news_and_events/news/270/successful_candidates_for_this_years_colledge_family_fund/

1. Charity Commission - Trustees information for charity 281012: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/281012/trustees

1. Royal College of Surgeons of England - Fellowships and Award Winners 2024: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/standards-and-research/research/fellowships-awards-grants/fellowships-and-award-winners-2024/

1. Royal College of Surgeons of England Research Portal: https://rcsengland.flexigrant.com/