We are delighted to announce our 2026 LARAC Scholars, who will be joining us at the LARAC UK Conference this October.
This year, we received the highest number of applications we have ever had for the scholarship programme, and the standard was extremely high. The scoring and judging process was incredibly difficult, and we want to thank everyone who took the time to apply.
For those who were not successful this year, we would strongly encourage you to apply again next year if you still meet the criteria. It was a very competitive process, and we were genuinely impressed by the quality, enthusiasm and thought that went into the applications.
We would also like to say a huge thank you to Ecogenesys, who continue to make the LARAC Scholars programme possible through their generous support.
Toni McNamara, LARAC Executive Director, said:
“The LARAC Scholars programme is one of the parts of conference that we are always especially proud of. This year we received the highest number of applications we have ever had, and the standard was incredibly high, which made the judging process very difficult. I want to personally thank everyone who applied. For those who were not successful this year, please do consider applying again if you still meet the criteria next year. We were really impressed by the enthusiasm, thought and commitment shown across the applications. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our 2026 Scholars to conference and seeing them become part of the wider LARAC community.”
The Scholar experience begins the day before conference, when the group will have the opportunity to meet each other, get to know more about LARAC, and take part in an introductory session ahead of the main event. That evening, they will join us for our Meet the Exec event, which includes a quiz, buffet and the chance to meet members of the LARAC Executive in a relaxed and informal setting. They will then attend both days of the UK Conference, including the LARAC Awards on the first evening. Travel, accommodation and conference attendance are included as part of the scholarship package, helping scholars to fully take part in the experience.
The programme is a fantastic opportunity for newer members of our member authorities to build their networks, learn from others across the sector, and gain a deeper insight into the world of resources, recycling and waste.
We are really looking forward to welcoming our 2026 cohort.
Congratulations to our 2026 LARAC Scholars:
-Teresa Tank, East Suffolk Council (East Region)
-Imogen Froud, Maldon District Council (East Region)
-Sam Humble, West Northamptonshire Council (East Midlands Region)
-Lily Walker, North West Leicestershire District Council (East Midlands)
-Lauryn Jones, London Borough of Ealing (London Region)
-Hanna Purdelo, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (London Region)
-Michael Naylor, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (North East Region)
-Ian Burns, Durham County Council (North East Region)
-Laura Martin, St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council (North West Region)
-Emily Cotton, Trafford Council (North West Region)
-David Mayers, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (Northern Ireland Region)
-Kiera Russell, Ards and North Down Borough Council (Northern Ireland Region)
-Karin Mikusova, Aberdeen City Council (Scotland Region)
-Joyal Joseph, Falkirk Council (Scotland Region)
-Zoe Ruth, Gosport Borough Council (South East Region)
-Katy Strachan, Kent County Council (South East Region)
-Kirstie Hunter, Bath and North East Somerset Council (South West Region)
-Olivia Wrigley, Swindon Borough Council (South West Region)
-Christine Patten, Cardiff Council (Wales Region)
-Rhys Lloyd, Powys County Council (Wales Region)
-Glyn Phillips, Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council (West Midlands Region)
-Leigh Gittus, South Staffordshire Council (West Midlands Region)
-Nick Johnson, Hull City Council (Yorkshire & Humber Region)
-Ugo Onwughalu, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (Yorkshire & Humber Region)
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