A fourth Saint Lucian, Leon Cherry, has been confirmed as a 2025 Chevening Scholar, following a communications error that initially left him off the official list released by the British High Commission in Saint Lucia.
Each year, Chevening offers fully funded scholarships to professionals around the world to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK. Earlier this month, the British High Commission in Saint Lucia hosted a reception for three named recipients – Ronaldo Degazon, Kina Nicholas and Jevanic Henry.
Unbeknownst to the local mission at the time, Cherry had also been selected. He received confirmation of his award in June from the UK-based Chevening Secretariat and is set to pursue a Master’s in Applied Clinical Psychology at the University of Bath – a long-held aspiration.
A practising psychologist and mental health advocate with seven years of experience, Cherry brings the total number of Saint Lucian Chevening Scholars this year to four.
“It was an administrative and communications error. We’ve since apologised,” said Resident British Commissioner to Saint Lucia, Amy Quantrill. She added that the High Commission already has plans to formally engage with and recognise Leon.
“We’re delighted that four Saint Lucians have managed to achieve the Chevening Scholarship. As you know, this has happened in the past, but recently we had three Cheveners, so to get another Chevener from Saint Lucia is great – a testament to the high achievement of Saint Lucians, really,” Quantrill said.
While official Chevening award notifications are issued to incoming scholars by offices in the UK, local logistical coordination, particularly for Caribbean recipients, involves multiple layers of administration across the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, as well as High Commissions in both Barbados and Saint Lucia.
For Cherry, the mix-up was briefly unsettling, but quickly resolved.
“This morning, I didn’t really feel good but towards the end of my conversations with everyone, when things were rectified, I felt fine,” he told St Lucia Times, candidly admitting that being in the spotlight is new for him, as he is known to be shy.
Cherry’s journey to the UK is itself a story of persistence. Though this was his second time applying for the Chevening scholarship, he had been pursuing other avenues for graduate study at Bath for six years. With his Chevening award secured, he says the timing feels right.
“The UK government has invested a lot in things like treatment for people and expansion of mental health services. That’s something that always made me interested in studying there.”
Cherry hopes to eventually become a licensed therapist in Saint Lucia and to help ensure that everyone has access to mental health support. He also hopes his success will encourage others working in the field to pursue similar opportunities like the Chevening scholarship to nurture their careers.
St. Lucia has been lacking in that area for decades and it needs to be addressed asap. There are over 450 types of distinct definition of mental disorders according to The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) – feel free to research.
However, because of a lack of clinical expertise in that area in St. Lucia it remains unaddressed. I work in healthcare and I can honestly say that I encounter folk with mental issues every single day. Please understand it requires accurate diagnosis as well as effective treatment/medication dosage(s).
There is no need to be ashamed get your loved ones the help they need before it’s too late.
Agree with @Anonymous and will also add that there needs to be regular follow up, and support programs for both the client and their family. Ongoing public education is also essential. There is no shame! Let’s hope Mr Cherry puts his new knowledge and practice to good use when he (hopefully!) returns to St Lucia. It’s sadly too late for the many who have already lost their lives to one of the many devastating aspects of mental health issues – partly due to the lack of appropriate care and Government and Community and even professional indifference. Congratulations to him and trust the British High Commission makes up for their omission.