Celebrating our 2026 Fellowship and Merit Award winners

"Becoming an RCOT Fellow would strengthen my ability to advance occupational therapy through research, innovation and inclusive leadership.

My work spans culturally responsive practice, equitable access to services, workforce inequalities, digital innovation and safer hospital discharge. Fellowship would provide a national platform to translate this evidence into policy, education and service improvement, while expanding opportunities to collaborate with occupational therapists, communities, researchers and system leaders. It would also support my commitment to mentoring emerging researchers and practitioners from under-represented backgrounds.

Through RCOT, I would champion an occupational therapy profession that is evidence-led, technologically responsive, culturally humble and focused on meaningful participation."

"To be recognised with this Fellowship by the professional community that has shaped my career for almost three decades is a profound honour and privilege.

My work has been driven by children, young people and families. I believe research must answer what matters most to them, co-created with those we serve. This award belongs equally to the colleagues, mentors and co-researchers with lived experience who made the work possible.

Occupational therapy changes lives, and I will keep championing equity of access to our profession and to research opportunities, while opening doors for the next generation of clinical academic occupational therapists."

"Winning this award is deeply meaningful to me because it shines a light on people with profound learning and multiple disabilities and their families, who remain among the most marginalised people in our communities.

For me, this recognition is not just personal; it affirms the powerful and essential role occupational therapy can play in opening up access, opportunity and meaningful lives. I hope this award becomes a platform to strengthen advocacy, challenge exclusion and encourage our profession to step forward with confidence.

I remain as passionate today as when I qualified, inspired always by the people, families, staff, students and practitioners who have shaped my career."

"I am completely overwhelmed and humbled by winning this award. I very much hope that it will help me to continue promoting the critical contribution of all occupational therapists but particularly those working in housing and social care; their interventions support wider prevention and intervention strategies that underpin policy and government priorities across the health and well-being agendas in the four nations.

I would love to think that my winning this award inspires my fellow passionate occupational therapy colleagues to continue to improve and highlight the positive impacts of their work for citizens and communities at locality and national levels and I will continue to promote our roles wherever I can."

"Never did I dream I’d be a Fellow, and yet here I am, humbled.

You may not know who I am, and that’s okay. I’ve learned you don’t have to be the loudest in the room to influence but what you do need is a vision, a plan, and the drive to ‘get it done’.

I encourage you to find your style. Be bold. Act. Trust in the beliefs that brought you to the profession: occupation provides meaning, purpose and fulfilment. Own this as what we can bring to individuals and communities – and let’s get after it, together!"

"I am privileged to have been mentored by and worked with so many inspirational occupational therapists who strive for and embody occupational justice for children and families. 

I will continue to advocate for understanding of sensory integration differences, how they impact everyday activities and what we can do to help through research and social media. As occupational therapists we have a unique perspective on the person and their environment. Traditionally we have worked with individuals and their families or school settings directly. While this direct approach remains valuable, engaging at community and societal level provides an opportunity for sustained change."

"I am deeply honoured to be awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists in recognition of my contribution to the profession over many years.

Throughout my career I have maintained a strong connection with the Royal College and have been committed to the advancement of occupational therapy and rehabilitation services to improve outcomes for people affected by stroke and complex neurological conditions.

This Fellowship reflects the collective achievements of many colleagues, teams and communities with whom I have had the privilege to work and for which I am eternally grateful."

"Receiving an Honorary Fellowship from the RCOT is an immense and deeply meaningful honour for me.

I accept it on behalf of the occupational therapists and colleagues who have supported me by advancing research and systemic change through Optimal-Handed Care.

This recognition celebrates everyone who believes passionately in the power of person-centred care using the Optimal-Handed Care approach to transform lives and improve services.

I remain committed to supporting and encouraging others to develop their practice and improve outcomes for society’s most vulnerable people through meaningful research, education, and the wider adoption of Optimal-Handed Care across the UK and beyond."

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

I dedicate this recognition to the occupational therapists of the United Kingdom, whose commitment, compassion and leadership continue to strengthen our profession and improve lives every day. I have learned so much from colleagues across the UK throughout my career. Their openness to new ideas, including the Kawa Model, has contributed greatly to its development and global reach.

It is a privilege to see this river carried forward by a growing global community of practitioners, and I share this recognition with all of them."

"Knowing that I was nominated for this award by my peers, and hearing their reflections on my value to the OT professional has been very humbling. I always through this type of award were focused on academic type roles, so to be recognised for my operational leadership and volunteer role is a real honour."

"Winning the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Merit Award is a profound honour that recognizes my dedication to advancing occupational therapy, particularly in paediatrics.

This award motivates me to continue innovating in trauma, attachment and sensory integration, and to further support children, young people, and their families. I am inspired to use this recognition to enhance occupational therapy education, mentorship and international collaboration, especially in developing the profession in Romania and raising its profile globally.

This accolade strengthens my commitment to making a positive and lasting impact within the occupational therapy community."

"Receiving this merit award is an immense honour and a meaningful recognition of the collective efforts of the students, practitioners, researchers and colleagues I have had the privilege to work alongside. It reinforces my commitment to advancing occupation-centred practice through education, mentorship, research and collaboration. 

I will use this recognition to continue creating opportunities for others to develop, lead and innovate, while strengthening the evidence base and visibility of occupational therapy nationally and internationally. I hope this award inspires others to champion our profession and its transformative impact on people's participation – our ultimate goal."

"Receiving the RCOT Merit Award is a tremendous honour and recognition of my commitment to advancing occupational therapy within the criminal justice sector.

I am passionate about promoting the value of an occupational perspective when working with people whose functioning, daily routines, environments and occupations are often closely linked to risk and offending behaviour. Occupational therapists bring a unique understanding of how meaningful activity, engagement and identity can support sustainable change.

This award highlights the growing importance of  occupational therapy in the criminal justice system at a service level, as well as the impact in influencing policy and practice nationally."

"It is a great honour to receive the RCOT Merit Award. Occupational therapy is not just my profession, it is part of who I am, and I feel as passionate about it today as I did when I first began my training.

Throughout my career, I have seen the transformative power of meaningful occupation change lives, and it remains a privilege to do this work. I remain committed to advocating for our profession and ensuring the value of occupational therapy is recognised.

This award has prompted reflection on my career and achievements, and is a shared celebration with the many colleagues and family members who have supported me."

"I am deeply honoured to have been nominated for this award, let alone selected as a recipient. I tend to approach my work quietly and without expectation of recognition, so this acknowledgement is incredibly meaningful.

While I am proud to receive the award, it also reinforces my commitment to the work still ahead. The award inspires me to continue advocating for innovative practice-based learning and promoting excellence in occupational therapy education. I will use this recognition as motivation to further contribute to developing the profession, enhancing student experiences, and supporting occupational therapists to make a positive difference in people's lives."

"I'm grateful that colleagues felt my work worthy of recognition.

OTs' confidence in their clinical knowledge and role has long been something I'm keen to support. 

For me that confidence rests on understanding developmental neurology, how parenting co-occupations, early relationships, co-regulation, and the sensory qualities of each, build neurological capacity, resilience, lifelong occupational competency and wellbeing.

Understanding the impact of parenting co-occupations on lifelong wellbeing should matter to us all. Promoting this through teaching and mentoring, so others can weave these elements into their practice and help families early, reflects something I value deeply. This award means a great deal."

"Receiving the RCOT Merit Award is both a privilege and a reminder of why I became an occupational therapist.

My own experiences of mental health services shaped my belief that meaningful occupation can restore hope, identity and purpose. I see this award not as the end of a journey, but as encouragement to continue developing innovative services, supporting future occupational therapists and strengthening the evidence that demonstrates the unique value occupational therapy brings to people's lives."

"I am delighted to receive an RCOT Merit Award. Occupational therapy has provided me with a rich and fulfilling career, and opportunities I could never have predicted as a new graduate. 

Supporting other occupational therapists is a privilege and a way of recognising those who helped me learn and grow as my career developed. Working collaboratively to create resources and share knowledge has shaped my practice and highlighted to me the breadth of our profession and the generosity of those within it."

"I’m honoured and thrilled to receive the RCOT Merit Award. Occupational therapy has shaped my professional life as a clinician, educator and researcher across India and the UK over the past three decades.

I have always worked to strengthen occupational therapy practice through research, education and international collaborations. I am committed to student partnership, as I strongly believe that developing the next generation of practitioners is central to advancing our profession.

This award has motivated me to continue a career dedicated to OT education and to raising the profession’s profile, nationally and globally."