Cara's 90th Anniversary event at the Royal Society - Presentation by Professor Robin Perutz FRS, 'Cara Past'

In the first presentation of the evening, Professor Robin Perutz FRS (University of York) briefly explored the history of two notable academic refugees from BCE ('Before the Cara Era'), before explaining how Cara came into being, first as the Academic Assistance Council (AAC), later as the Society for the Protection of Science and Learning (SPSL).  At the personal level, he noted that his future parents first met in the 1930s office of the SPSL ("...without the SPSL there would be no me!"), before setting out the huge contribution made by those who received support from the AAC/SPSL to this country's scientific and cultural life ("Hitler's Gift to Britain was Talent, more valuable than gold").  That vital work continued now, through Cara, and his experience as a host of Cara Fellows at York was that the process benefited those 'doing the helping' every bit as much as those who were helped.

To watch his presentation, click here.