Sir Patrick Vallance leads team at London to Brighton Bike Ride

Sir Patrick and his team of world-leading scientists

A group of world-leading scientists and business leaders, led by Sir Patrick Vallance, are teaming-up to take on our London to Brighton bike ride to raise vital funds for our lifesaving research.

The 'Biking for Breakthroughs' team will be aiming to conquer our 54-mile ride from Clapham Common to the Brighton seafront on Sunday 16 June, and hope to raise thousands of pounds in the process. They're now calling for the scientific community's / public's support to help them reach their goal.

Those swapping their lab coats for Lycra include Professor Sir Jim Smith from the Francis Crick Institute and Newcastle University 's Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Brian Walker. They'll be joined by family members, BHF's Interim Chair of Trustees Karen Frank, and BHF Executive Board member Kerry Smith.

All the 'Biking for Breakthroughs' teamhave a close connection to us. Sir Patrick Vallance benefited from BHF research funding early in his career, and now supports the charity in multiple ways, including as Chair of the Advisory Panel for its £30m research programme, CureHeart.

Words from Biking for Breakthroughs

Sir Patrick, who will be leading off our annual fundraiser with number 001, said: "Thanks to the public's support, the BHF funds millions of pounds of pioneering research into heart and circulatory conditions every year. The charity holds a special place in my heart, having supported my early research career, so I'm delighted to be giving back by taking on London to Brighton."

"In addition to raising vital funds, I'm hoping our team highlights the incredible contribution that thousands of people make to UK medical research by taking on fundraising challenges like London to Brighton every year. The money the ride raises will support groundbreaking research into how to better prevent, diagnose and treat heart diseases at a time further progress is urgently needed."

The London to Brighton bike ride is our flagship fundraising event, with over 10,000 cyclists of all abilities expected to take on the stunning route from Clapham Common through the Surrey and Sussex countryside to finish on the Brighton seafront.

This event, now in its 47^th year, raises around £2 million annually for the BHF thanks to people's "incredible" fundraising efforts. To date, it has raised more than £50 million for research into lifesaving advances for the 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory conditions in the UK.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the BHF, said: "We're just thrilled that Patrick is leading our 'Biking for Breakthroughs' team who join the 12,000 people riding the BHF London to Brighton Bike Ride on 16th June.

"For nearly fifty years this event has generated funds to support thousands of brilliant scientists, including Patrick, who have revolutionised treatment and care for our hearts. Over the years their work has made advances from developing internal defibrillators to keep people alive to AI technologywhich can identify the risk of a heart attack years before it strikes. The millions of pounds raised by our riders has changed and saved countless lives over the years, and continues to do so today."

Professor Brian Walker, who serves as a BHF Trustee and has received significant research funding from us, will be taking on the ride on a tandem bicycle with his wife Jane. The couple have notched up more than 20,000 miles on their red tandem - pedalling in countries as far as Japan and New Zealand.

Professor Walker said: "My wife and I are very much looking forward to taking on the 54 miles from London to Brighton on our beloved tandem - although somewhat apprehensive about the large hill near the end! I am taking part to pay back, in a small way, the debt I owe to the BHF and its supporters. This pioneering charity has supported my research for more than 25 years, including through funding to establish the BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science in Edinburgh. We all hope we can use this occasion to raise vital funds and awareness for the BHF's lifesaving work."

Professor Sir Jim Smith, Emeritus Scientist at the Francis Crick Institute, said:"I am delighted and excited to take on the BHF London to Brighton Bike Ride, both because my mother suffered from heart disease and because my brilliant former colleague Andreia Bernardo received support from the BHF in our research into potential stem cell treatments for devastating conditions including heart failure. It's remarkable to think that people taking on fundraising challenges like London to Brighton makes such a significant contribution to UK medical research, and I'm delighted to be joining that effort."

Karen Frank, Interim Chair of the BHF's Board of Trustees, said: "It's an honour to be taking on our iconic London to Brighton Bike Ride as part of Sir Patrick's team. Tying the event and the science together feels like a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of the BHF.

"BHF events like our London to Brighton Bike Ride help raise vital funds for transformative science that is essential in tackling heart and circulatory conditions, the world's biggest killers. I'm excited for the day and looking forward to playing my part in the Biking for Breakthroughs team."

Support the Biking for Breakthroughs team

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.