Belfast Healthy Cities has announced three successful recipients of its 2026 Explorer Bursary, which this year focused on the theme of Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.
Following an incredible response from applicants across Belfast, the bursary has been awarded to Clare Morris from McAdam Design, Dr Leeanne O’Hara from Homeless Connect and Micky Murray from SOS Bus NI.
The Explorer Bursary supports individuals and organisations to learn from approaches in other cities and bring practical ideas, evidence and learning back to Belfast. This year’s theme invited applicants to explore how cities, organisations and communities are working to prevent violence against women and girls, improve safety, strengthen support and create more inclusive places.
Clare Morris, Technical Director at McAdam Design, will visit Glasgow to explore how gender-sensitive and safety-informed thinking can be embedded within regeneration, public realm and infrastructure projects. Her proposed visit will focus on how cities consider women and girls’ experiences in the design of streets, public spaces and active travel routes. Learning from the visit will help inform practical approaches to inclusive placemaking in Belfast.
Dr Leeanne O’Hara, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Homeless Connect, will explore the work of Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance. Her visit will focus on coordinated community responses to domestic abuse, particularly where violence against women intersects with homelessness, housing insecurity and multiple disadvantage.
Micky Murray, CEO of SOS Bus NI, will visit Glasgow to examine how the city has developed a coordinated, public health approach to preventing violence against women and girls, particularly in the night-time economy and public spaces. His proposed visit will explore partnership working, bystander intervention, approaches to harassment and spiking, student safety and support for women travelling at night. The learning will help inform the continued development of SOS Bus NI’s SafeHER Belfast campaign and wider frontline practice.
Charlene Brooks, Chief Executive of Belfast Healthy Cities, said:
“We were delighted by the response to this year’s Explorer Bursary and the quality of applications received. Ending Violence Against Women and Girls is one of the most important issues facing our city, and it requires action across many different sectors, including housing, public space, transport, culture, community safety and the night-time economy.
“Clare, Leeanne and Micky each brought forward strong, practical proposals with clear potential to support learning and action in Belfast. Their visits will help bring back ideas from other cities that can inform how we create safer, healthier and more inclusive places for women and girls.
“We look forward to working with all three bursary recipients and sharing their learning with partners across the city.”
Following their visits, each recipient will share findings with Belfast Healthy Cities and relevant partners through reports, presentations, workshops and wider activity.
Charlene continued: “Belfast Healthy Cities would like to thank everyone who applied to this year’s Explorer Bursary. The standard of applications was extremely high, reflecting the commitment, creativity and expertise across Belfast in working towards safer and more equitable communities.”
