Merton Honorary Fellow set to run a 10k for charity at the age of 90

While some Mertonians in Oxford are preparing for the 10k race in Oxford on Sunday, Mertonian and Honorary Fellow Sir Christopher Ball FRSA (1956) is taking on a 10k challenge of his own, running and walking 10k in Brathay, Cumbria, on 17 May, one month after turning 90 years old. 

Sir Christopher was a soldier with the Parachute Regiment who then had a career in academia: he has been a university teacher at SOAS and Lincoln College Oxford, Warden of Keble College, Chancellor of the University of Derby, and consultant and advisor on human learning and educational provision. He is also an award-winning poet, publishing under the nom de plume John Elinger. He was knighted in 1987 for services to education, and lives in Oxford. 

He will run his 10K with one of his children, raising money for 10 charities, including The Unicorn School, a specialist independent school in Abingdon that teaches children with neurodiversity challenges. 

Sir Christopher started to run marathons more than 20 years ago, aged 67, and went on to do complete 22 marathons in total. He is a founder of the Lakeland ‘10 in 10 Challenge’, which takes place in May each year in Brathay, Cumbria. 

We wish Sir Christopher well for his 10k challenge and look forward to hearing all about it!