Dinner and Guest Evening at Queens' College 26 February

Rotary Club of Cambridge Rutherford Dinner and Guest Evening 26th February 2026 at Queens’ College Old Hall 7.15 for 7.45pm

With guest speaker Professor James D F Calder, OBE

His talk ‘T. E. Lawrence Special Forces Club Tribute Trek to Aqaba’

James Calder, OBE, is a leading British orthopaedic surgeon specialising in foot and ankle injuries in elite athletes. A Cambridge lad and son of Dorothy and Ian Calder, he studied at the Leys and graduated at the London Hospital Medical College. A professor at Imperial College London, he has served in the military, contributed to global concussion policy, led major COVID-19 sport and safety initiatives, advanced research in sports medicine, and co-founded the Fortius Clinic.

In early 2025 James joined a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers on the challenging Lawrence Tribute Trek (photo above) retracing T. E. Lawrence's 1917 route across the Arabian desert on camels to raise money for the Special Forces Club Benevolent Fund. The 25-day, 700 mile journey through Saudi Arabia and Jordan involved extreme temperatures, sandstorms, and rugged terrain, but the team used modern GPS while facing historical hardships, documenting their adventure as a tribute and fundraiser for veterans.

This is an amazing story from an excellent raconteur. James pulls no punches in giving an entertaining and honest picture of this gruelling expedition. His stories are funny, poignant and memorable. It promises to be a wonderful evening, in the stunning Old Hall at Queens’ College, Cambridge.

Further information about the Trek, James and the S.F.B.F. can be found on the following links:

Lawrence Tribute Trek

https://www.fortiusclinic.com/specialists/professor-james-calder

Special Forces Club Benevolent Fund

Bookings and payments: https://ti.to/Rutherford

£48 pp for a 3 course meal to include coffee
Plus pay bar on the evening.
Dress code: smart/smart casual.