- Gill Hicks
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Dr Gill Hicks, MBE FRSA (born Adelaide, South Australia) is the founder of London-based not-for-profit M.A.D for Peace, and a motivational speaker, author, curator, and trustee for several cultural organisations. She began her career as a speaker in the wake of the 7 July 2005 London bombings: Hicks was the last living victim rescued. Both her legs were amputated below the knee, and her injuries were so severe that she was initially not expected to live. She was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital without an identity - she was labelled only as ‘One Unknown’.
Contents
Activities
Hicks has lived in London since 1992. She is former Publishing Director of the architecture, design and contemporary culture magazine Blueprint, Director of the multi-disciplinary design and publishing group Dangerous Minds, and Head of Curation at the UK’s Design Council. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Trustee of the Women's Playhouse Trust, Trustee of the Architecture Foundation and an Advisor to Psychology Beyond Borders.
In 2006 Hicks was appointed Ambassador for Peace Direct (Best New Charity 2005), and in 2007 was made an Advocate for Leonard Cheshire Disability. Her first book, One Unknown, was shortlisted for the Mind Book of the Year 2007. In 2008, she carried the Olympic torch in Canberra.
She is well-known for her inspirational talks and seminars with many organisations in the UK and Australia including charities, the health service, the police and emergency services, city institutions, schools, community and faith groups.
Awards
She was honoured with an MBE for her services to charity in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2008-09, and became both Australian of the Year [1] in the UK and Australian Woman of the Year in the UK for 2009. That year she was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from London Metropolitan University in recognition of her outstanding contribution to architecture and design, and her work in promoting the importance of establishing sustainable peace.
Her work as a peacemaker was most recently acknowledged when in March 2010 she became recipient of the Iman Wa Amal Special Judges Award at the 10th Annual Muslim News Awards for Excellence.[2]
See also
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/3324338/I-wasnt-dancing-in-the-face-of-death.-I-was-just-on-my-way-to-work.html
- Gill Hicks and Peace Direct: What you can do for peace (YouTube)
- Gill Hicks and Peace Direct: "You can. Doves can't." (YouTube)
- Gill Hicks speaks at the Young Muslims Advisory Group
- http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/bombing-survivor-to-help-fire-victims/story-e6frf7jo-1225697207669
- http://www.emel.com/article?id=74&a_id=2068
- http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4thoughttv/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1
References
External links
Categories:- People from Adelaide
- Australian amputees
- Living people
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