Tony Jackson, 65, from Pinkneys Green in Berkshire, is riding an electric motorbike from Land’s End to John O’Groats in support of the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The challenge, which will begin on May 27,  and he aims to raise £10,000 for the charity.

The 65-year-old spent more than 36 years working as an RAF squadron leader in air traffic control and flight operations.

His brother, Trevor Jackson, from Aston, will be accompanying him on the journey with his electric Farizon van.

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Trevor, a retired RAF Flight Lieutenant said: “Whilst we have both been incredibly fortunate not to need the services of the RAF Benevolent Fund many others do require that support.”

Tony will be riding a Maeving RM1s electric bike, covering approximately 150 miles per day during the seven-day journey.

He said: “I have to rendezvous with him about every 50 miles because the bike’s batteries will only get him about 60 miles tops.

“So, we have identified lots of journey legs where there is somewhere appropriate for us to stop, change batteries and maybe have a coffee break.”

Tony Jackson (left) and Trevor Jackson (right) with his electric Farizon van (Image: Trevor Jackson)

He continued: “In his last tour of duty in the RAF my brother was in command of the largest flight in the RAF with over 100 personnel who were either suffering from injuries received in overseas theatres of war or road traffic collisions, other illnesses and some who were sadly terminally ill.

“His group was regularly in receipt of successful bids for financial support with thousands of pounds granted to personnel from the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The brothers will set off from RAF High Wycombe with a media event at the main gate before heading to Cornwall to begin the ride from Land’s End.

Night stops are planned in Taunton, RAF Shawbury, Penrith, Stirling, and Inverness before reaching John O’Groats.

The 65-year-old said: “The van can go just over 200 miles on a single charge.

“My brother is also a qualified drone pilot, and he intends to set up his drone to follow him in scenic locations throughout the journey.”

The brothers hope their journey will demonstrate that long-distance travel is possible using battery-powered vehicles, while also raising awareness of the RAF Benevolent Fund’s vital work.

The charity provides emotional, financial, and practical assistance to serving and former RAF personnel and their families, this is through mental health support, welfare breaks, mental health support and more.

In 2024 the charity reported that they spent £15.1m on welfare delivery for more than 64,00 people including serving personnel, veteran and their families.

The group, formed in 1986 after a Bicester School evening class exploring the 1851 census, has grown into a cornerstone of the community, with three original committee members still involved today.

Chairman Bob Hessian said: “We’re very proud of the programme of activities we’ve provided for our members over the years.

“These include a series of regular talks, visits to places of interest and historical walks in local towns and villages.”

Over the years, the society has held major exhibitions, developed a comprehensive website, and run oral history sessions to preserve the memories of long-standing residents.

Mr Hessian added: “It’s been a privilege to be asked to participate in oral history work conducted by Oxford University for their ‘Lest We Forget’ (WW2) and ‘Their Finest Hour’ (WW1) projects.”

The society has restored Bicester’s mid-18th-century fire engine, produced books and DVDs, and published a tri-annual magazine, The Bicester Historian.

Engaging young people remains a priority, with primary school classes and Brownie groups taking part in history walks.

The society’s largest event was its 25th-anniversary exhibition in 2011, featuring more than 50 exhibitors, vintage vehicles, and guided tours.

Current projects include a book on the origins of Bicester’s street names, due for publication later this year.

The group continues to celebrate and preserve the town’s heritage through community engagement and historical exploration.

More information can be found on their website, www.blhs.org.uk.

Wild Bioscience has expanded its operations on Milton Park, Oxfordshire, after securing £45 million in funding.

The University of Oxford spinout focuses on developing climate-resilient crops and will use the funding to scale up its laboratory facilities and advance its commercial plans.

Ross Hendron, CEO and co-founder of Wild Bioscience, said: “Since founding Wild Bio, we’ve been building a powerful design engine to create resilient crops.

“AI is now dramatically accelerating that capability, but to realise its full potential we need to scale pipelines that turn predictions into validated crop products and feed real-world results back to continuously improve our models.

“This expansion in infrastructure, team, and technology is a key step in developing the engineering loop that bridges computational design and plant biology.

“We’re starting with the world’s most widely grown crop: wheat.

“We’re excited to welcome Lisa and Stuart to the team as we deploy our Series A to fundamentally change how crops are designed, enabling agriculture to keep up with our rapidly changing planet.”

The latest funding round was led by the Ellison Institute of Technology, with continued backing from investors including Oxford Science Enterprises, Braavos, and the University of Oxford.

Wild Bioscience has signed a new lease to expand its laboratory and office space by 4,560 sq ft at Milton Park, bringing its total footprint to 16,000 sq ft.

The expansion includes new facilities at 115 Olympic Avenue and a recently equipped gene-editing laboratory at 127 Olympic Avenue.

This additional space has enabled the company to triple its plant output within a matter of months.

The company employs 40 staff and has been growing organically at Milton Park since 2021.

It uses AI-driven modelling and molecular biology to identify and harness traits from wild plant species, with the goal of boosting crop resilience, increasing yields, and reducing carbon intensity.

Recent partnerships include collaborations with The Traits Company, KWS, Dyson Farming, and Pairwise Plants to support the international development and deployment of improved crop varieties.

The company has also strengthened its leadership team.

Lisa Flashner, chief operating officer at the Ellison Institute of Technology, has joined the board as a non-executive director.

Dr Stuart Harrison has been appointed chief business officer.

Tom Booker, asset manager at Milton Park for Federated Hermes Real Estate, said: “Wild Bioscience’s continued growth is a strong example of how companies can start, scale and specialise at Milton Park.

“Their expansion reflects both the strength of their science and the momentum behind the business, supported by significant recent investment, the addition of senior leadership and a clear pathway to commercialisation.

“It’s exactly the kind of journey the park is designed to support.”