So this is my JustGiving page for  the 'big walk' organised by the University of Sheffield.  The aim is to raise money for Syrian academics and students at risk.  I think this is a great cause; the problems in the Middle East are so overwhelmingly terrible it is easy to cut ourselves off from them.  But for the luck of birth, however, it could me or you.  So please give generously. 

As for the challenge, I love walking, and I think this is going to be a great way to meet colleagues from all over the University.  However, it is NOT just a walk in the park!  I like walking a nice hilly ten miles with views and a tea shop.  A flat walk, at 20 miles plus most days, for 6 days running - well, it is going to be tough!  That is the idea, right?  It might make me fitter too! 

To give a bit more detail on HOW the money will be spent, funds raised through the Big Walk will be used to support refugee academics and students at the University, to demonstrate our solidarity with refugees and to show that refugees are welcome at our University and in our city.  Specifically, funds will be used to: 

•    Support at-risk academics: We have strong links with a number of programmes to support at-risk academics, including the Institute of International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund and the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA) -  a charity which helps academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile. Through these partnerships, the University of Sheffield can host academics, giving them a place of safety and the financial and practical help to continue their careers until such as time as they can return home.

•    Students seeking refuge or asylum: The University offers fully funded undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for refugees including those seeking asylum in the UK. Throughout 2016 we will be raising funds to increase this support.

Thank you for supporting the Big Walk 2016.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.