Land Rover's 2012 'Go Beyond' Bursary has been awarded to 'Pushing the Limits,' a team supporting a disabled adventurer's plans to encourage our understanding of the geography on our doorstep and to show that exploration is within everyone's reach, whatever their ability.
 
For Andy Campbell, disabled adventurer and team leader, getting off the beaten track ‑ whether by kayak, sitski, paragliding, hand‑cycling or driving ‑ has become more of a challenge than for most. "Life's an adventure that needs to be explored, being in a wheelchair just means you have to be a bit more ingenious ‑ and stubborn ‑ to get where you want," he said. "The Society and Land Rover have provided an excellent opportunity to reach places I could not otherwise get to before."

The Land Rover's 'Go Beyond' Bursary was first awarded in 2007, in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and is aimed at those who want to take a journey beyond their limits, for which a Land Rover is an integral part of the expedition. For 2012, the Bursary funding has awarded £30, 000 for the first time.

The team set off from the Society's London headquarters today, heading to Dover for their crossing into France across Europe, in their specially‑equipped Land Rover Defender 110. Much of the route will follow the River Danube from Ulm in Germany to the Black Sea, which they plan to reach at the start of September.

Sharing the journey from the field and interacting with their followers through a range of social media, the team will actively encourage suggestions for 'detours' to explore areas of particular geographical and interest and which have the potential to demonstrate the go‑anywhere capabilities of the Defender 110.

Mark Cameron, Land Rover Global Brand Experience Director said; "Andy and the team really captured the spirit of the 'Go Beyond' Bursary and we are delighted to support their mission to encourage adventure and to really experience the landscape rather than to simply drive through it. "

"The Defender will help enable the team to experience places normally out of bounds to wheelchair users and hopefully inspire other people with disabilities to fulfil their enjoyment of outdoors pursuits."
 
The Pushing the Limits team wants to inspire others to get outdoors, enjoy the diversity of different landscapes and experience adventures. Even if the route isn't certain, the sense of adventure most definitely is.
 
Paul Rose, the Society's Vice President of Expeditions & Fieldwork, added; "The Land Rover 'Go Beyond' Bursary offers recipients an amazing opportunity to promote a wider understanding and enjoyment of people, places and environments. This team's journey will help show that exploration is as much about a state of mind as it is a particular place."

An overview of Land Rover's 'Go Beyond' Bursary and Pushing the Limits expedition is provided on Land Rover.com. Highlights will be shared on Land Rover‑owned social platforms. In addition, "Pushing the Limits" will be providing full updates through its own social media channels, including Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Tumblr.
 
‑ENDS ‑
 
Media Enquiries:
 
WaiLo Li,
Press Officer for Land Rover Global Humanitarian & Conservation Partnerships
+44 (0)7557847561 or
wli@jaguarlandrover.com
 
Alex Jackson,
Press Officer for Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
+44 (0)20 7591 3019 or
a.jackson@rgs.org
 
For press release and images please visit Jaguar Land Rover's media website: http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com
 
Notes to Editors:
 
Pushing The Limits (PTL) team
 
 Andy Campbell (37) ‑ Expedition Leader ‑ was paralysed during a climbing accident in 2004 whilst abseiling from the top of a climb in the Peak District. Prior to being medically discharged from the British Army as a result of his injury, Andy served 14 years in the Royal Corps of Signals deploying on operations all over the world, most recently in Iraq. Since becoming paraplegic, Andy has become a self‑styled disabled‑adventurer, using a wide‑range of equipment and techniques  to explore the world from a wheelchair. During the expedition Andy will paraglide, kayak, handcycle, and use a special off‑road wheelchair to explore the landscape and demonstrate how readily available adventure is to everyone
 
 Steve Locke (28) ‑Team Member ‑ is a media studies graduate with experience in camera work, animation and video‑editing and spent three years training as a REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) vehicle mechanic with the Territorial Army. Working for a worldwide shipping company, Steve travelled around the world to maintain IT and Satellite systems on board oil tankers. Steve finally found the inspiration to set off on independent travel, riding his bicycle from the UK to Europe solo for a year.
 
 Adrian Taylor (47) is an adventure traveller with a passion for exploring the world. After a successful and challenging year career in the London Fire Brigade Adrian fully embraced his wanderlust and desire to explore the world independently. Expeditions through Europe and Africa created a passion for meeting people from all walks of life, experiencing different cultures around the world, and seeing wildlife in its natural surroundings. Raising money to help build schools in Africa as part of his previous expeditions, Adrian has a strong sense of belonging to the global community rather than simply being a tourist. Bringing a wide range of experience and valuable skills to the expedition, Adrian has most recently led a 6 month trip from London to Victoria Falls in Africa.
 
 • Proposed route for Pushing The Limits team; United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
 
 •   The RGS‑IBG/Land Rover Go Beyond Bursary is in its fifth year and has supported expeditions that have included; a study of Icelandic glaciers,  a journey along European fault lines, a trip to trace the coastline that will be lost to rising sea levels, and a voyage at the latitude of 50° North around the globe.
 
 •   The grant provides the loan of a Land Rover 110 Defender vehicle and a bursary of £30,000 to fund a team of people to support a geographical journey ‑ the first time, the total amount of Land Rover funding has trebled to £30, 000 this year.
 
Past 'Go Beyond' Bursary winners include:
 
 •    2011: Glacier in a Greenhouse
 The team of Durham University students used their vehicle to study remote glaciers in Central West Iceland.
 
 •   2010: Fault Line Living
 An arduous 12‑week, 15,000 mile journey exploring the realities of life for people
 living along fault lines. From Iceland to Italy, Greece, Turkey and Iran. The team worked with school students, seismologists and talked to the local people of each country to uncover how different communities adapt to the challenges of fault line living.
 
 •  2009: Atlantic Rising
 Atlantic Rising's journey traced what could be the new coastline of the ocean following sea level rise exploring the places, people and histories that would be lost to the rising tide if climate change continues. The team developed a programme of talks to both adults and school students. For more information please visit; http://atlanticrising.org/
 
 •  2008: Latitude
 The very first recipients of the Bursary followed the line of 50° North Latitude, driving across Europe through Asia and Canada, all in a Land Rover Defender 110.
 
 • As part of Land Rover's commitment to environmental sustainability, the factory costs and mileage of the 110 Defender vehicle are carbon offset through Climate Care.
 
 •  The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is one of six Global Humanitarian & Conservation Partners with Land Rover.  The Global Humanitarian & Conservation Partnerships forms part of an integrated approach to sustainability and sit within Land Rovers' Our Planet. (www.landrover.com/ourplanet )
 
 •    Land Rover has six Global Humanitarian & Conservation Partners including; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Born Free Foundation, Biosphere Expeditions, China Exploration & Research Society (CERS),  Earthwatch Institute and Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
 
 •   Land Rover has established a global network of centres designed to provide the ultimate driving experience in the world's most capable all‑terrain vehicles. Land Rover Experience offers drivers the terrain to demonstrate the awesome capability of a state‑of‑the‑vehicle and the chance to learn new skills, as well as tackling some of the most challenging terrain drivers will ever encounter. The Land Rover Experience team in Eastnor helped to train Land Rover Bursary winners 'Pushing The Limit'. For more information, please visit; www.landrover.com
 
 •    The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) is the learned society and professional body for geography. Formed in 1830, the Royal Charter of 1859 is for 'the advancement of geographical science'. Today, it delivers this objective by developing, supporting and promoting geographical research through scientific expeditions and fieldwork, education, and public engagement, while also providing geographical input to policy. A key aim is to foster an understanding and informed enjoyment of our world. The Society holds the world's largest private geographical collection and provides public access to it. For more information please visit:  www.rgs.org
 
 • An important way in which the Society develops new knowledge and advances geographical science is by providing funding for geographical research and scientific expeditions. Grants support work in the UK and across all seven continents. Over 90 grants and in excess of £180,000 are awarded annually to experienced researchers working on cutting‑edge projects and to teams of young, passionate geographers who are looking to get out into the field for the first time. Research has been conducted in more than 120 countries, from Namibia to Brazil to Greenland. For more information please visit:   www.rgs.org/grants
 
 • The Society provides information for people with disabilities on planning expedition through its Inclusive Expeditions Unit:  www.rgs.org/inclusive.