"ON YER BIKE, PRESIDENT!"

The prospect of Government funding cuts has sparked a number of chain reactions across the country, but none quite like that at the British Academy... 

On 10 August 2010, 69-year-old President, Sir Adam Roberts set off by bike on the 1000-mile journey from Land’s End to John o’Groats to raise funds for the Academy’s work in the humanities and social sciences.

From the geography of navigating the route; to the psychology of having to get back on the bike each day come rain or shine; to the statistics of converting calories into miles and then into pounds, Sir Adam will make good use of his humanities and social science expertise to accomplish the challenge by 29 August, his 70th birthday.

 Sir Adam said:

“Einstein once said that life is like riding a bicycle – in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving, and that is just what this challenge is about.  As the dark cloud of funding cuts hovers above our heads, rather than lie down and wait for something to happen, I will keep pedalling.

“The modest funds we seek to raise are a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed, but a valuable token of people’s commitment to the cause. They will help to maintain the independence and steering capacity of the British Academy.”

The President will be completing the challenge with his daughter, Hannah who is celebrating her 40th birthday.  She is an international election consultant and has cycled Land’s End to John o’Groats (LE JoG) several times. Together they hope to raise over £2,000 for the British Academy. 

The British Academy has spoken out about proposed funding cuts to higher education and research, calling on the Government to avoid wielding the axe on one of Britain’s most successful sectors “without a clear plan of how great institutions and disciplines are to be funded in the future.”

Sir Adam was also joint signatory, with President of the Royal Society Lord Rees, of a letter to the Government setting out their concerns and advising the Government to maintain support for science and research as an investment in the long-term future of the UK.

6 August 2010